Deputy Minister Nan Boonthida Somchai of the Digital Economy Ministry addressed a Senate live question session, affirming that the TH-AI Passport project maintains transparency at all stages. She criticized senators for derisive comments that mislead the public and challenged anyone suspecting kickbacks to report them to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for investigation.
At 10:35 a.m. on 8 June 2026 GMT+7, during a Senate session chaired by Lt. Gen. Kriangkrai Srirak, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Nantana Nantavaropas questioned Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiyachon Chidchob about alleged transparency issues in the TH-AI Passport project. The project, budgeted at 1,621 million baht, completed its Terms of Reference drafting and bidding process in a rapid 34 days, which raised concerns. The senator inquired why the ministry promoted AI Pro to 5 million citizens, what benefits Thai people would gain, and why procurement involved intermediaries instead of direct purchases from the source country. He also questioned whether there were kickbacks, noting that the winning bidder was the same company involved in projects for the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation and the Ministry of Public Health, and had renewed the MotoGP contract, suggesting a suspicious coincidence. Critics alleged the rush was to recover investment before elections and asked whether the project would be reviewed.
Deputy Minister Nan Boonthida Somchai responded on behalf of the Minister, clarifying that the total time from the start of the process to contract signing exceeded 34 days and complied with standard procurement procedures without irregularities. She emphasized the goal was for Thais aged 15 and above to access AI Pro for personal development. She challenged those suspecting kickbacks to file complaints with the National Anti-Corruption Commission rather than spreading misleading accusations. She confirmed that the Terms of Reference and procurement adhered to government regulations. Regarding allegations that the winning company was the same as those handling other government projects, she noted that many government contracts repeatedly involve a few capable companies within each ministry, and this was not due to favoritism but their proven competence. Anyone qualified has the right to bid. On whether the project would continue, Minister Chaiyachon announced a public consultation forum on 11 June to gather feedback on the project.