The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society clarified the TH-AI Passport project with a budget of 1.6 billion baht, confirming transparency at every stage. The project aims to elevate 5 million Thais' access to AI, hoping to enhance competitiveness in the digital world.
Mr. Chaiyachonok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES). He said that when asked which device currently most enhances digital development potential, the answer is AI. Therefore, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has prepared the TH-AI Passport project with a budget of 1.6 billion baht to procure 12 AI models, allowing 5 million citizens to access Pro-level AI. The project is fully compliant with legal procedures, transparent, and auditable. It is not a free AI giveaway in any way.
Regarding the project's implementation, discussions were held with relevant agencies. The project began on 17 November 2025 GMT+7 and follows procurement laws through an e-bidding system, which is open and fair competition. The budget is managed via the Digital Economy and Society Development Fund (DE Fund), with all procurement adhering strictly to regulations.
The government’s key goal is to increase public access to AI technology. Studies show Thailand's AI diffusion rate is only 10.7%, lower than several ASEAN countries, with Singapore at 60.9% and Vietnam at 23.5%.
Moreover, many countries worldwide support free public access to AI to boost national productivity. For example, Singapore supports premium AI tools alongside AI literacy courses, spending over 27 billion baht, averaging about 900 baht per person annually.
Meanwhile, the TH-AI Passport project by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society will increase AI users by 5 million, raising Thailand's AI access rate to about 23%, surpassing the global benchmark average of 16.3%. This is achieved at an average cost of just 324 baht per person annually, or approximately 27 baht per month.
The project’s goal is “Learn to Earn,” focusing on increasing quality AI users through practical Up Skill courses. Collaborations with global technology companies like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI enable citizens to apply AI to advance careers and generate income.
On data security, it is assured that AI service providers cannot use user data for further Generative AI training. User data and prompts are stored on Cloud servers within Thailand and accessed only anonymously. ID verification is used solely to confirm usage rights for Thai citizens, without disclosing personal data to AI model owners.
Regarding system structure, the project allows users to manage services in various ways, including Token Allocation, Reserve Capacity via TPU/GPU Cloud, or Hybrid Models. Technical specifications focus on actual usage results rather than fixed token amounts, maximizing benefits for the public.
“The TH-AI Passport project opens opportunities for Thais to access Pro-level AI, reducing inequalities caused by sharing accounts among multiple users. It enables citizens to fully utilize Advanced Generative AI capabilities for one year. Thus, this project is not only supporting AI use but investing in enhancing Thais’ capabilities to compete in the global digital economy and keep pace with rapidly advancing technology,” Mr. Chaiyachonok said.