The Army spokesperson clarified the case regarding the consideration of special combat pay (P.S.R.), denying the use of AI to evaluate performance. The computer system is only used for initial analysis before the matter proceeds to a committee according to official regulations and procedures.
Following widespread social media sharing of messages containing inaccuracies, which raised concerns about the criteria for special combat pay (P.S.R.) for personnel involved in clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border, it was claimed that an AI system was used to assess performance and that more weight was given to those injured than to frontline soldiers who remained unharmed, leading to incomplete understanding among personnel.
Major General Winthai Suwaree, Army spokesperson, said the Army has acknowledged these concerns and wishes to clarify the facts for accurate understanding. He confirmed that the special combat pay, or P.S.R., is a special merit reward the Ministry of Defence grants to personnel who have engaged in combat or been wounded in combat, with all considerations based on clear legal criteria and standards.
Regarding the claim about using AI, the Army spokesperson explained that currently the Army Personnel Department is in the process of collecting data from units at the battalion level or equivalent. Priority is given first to personnel who have been wounded, followed by gathering information on those who fought but were not injured.
The Army Personnel Department has developed a computer program to serve solely as a tool to assist in analyzing behavior and events. It is not an AI system making decisions in place of humans in any way.
This system evaluates based on tangible evidence submitted by units, which does not focus solely on the level of injury as rumored. It must also consider other key evidence, such as incident reports with maps simulating the situation, as well as medical records specifying the nature and severity of injuries. Most importantly, the analysis results and all documents are thoroughly reviewed by the Army-level committee to determine the appropriate amount of merit pay fairly, in line with the Defence Minister’s policy emphasizing the importance of all soldiers who fought, whether injured or not.
However, the Army spokesperson noted that misunderstandings may stem from subordinate units not fully comprehending the P.S.R. consideration process under official conditions. The Army Personnel Department, responsible for the overall process, plans to invite representatives from relevant units to a meeting to provide explanations and foster mutual understanding to promptly address these issues.