The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) launched a forum to gather input and exchange ideas on the “TH-AI Passport,” stressing transparency and aiming to ensure all Thai people have access to AI. Minister Chaiyachonok acknowledged knowing many individuals but confirmed he was not involved in the process; everything followed proper procedures without exception.
At 09:30 on 11 June 2026, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) opened a forum called the TH-AI Passport Forum. This event gathered opinions and facilitated discussion. The focus was on the TH-AI Passport project. The event included academics, technology experts from government and private sectors, as well as the general public. Minister Chaiyachonok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, also attended and listened.
The forum began with Mr. Patchara Anantasilp, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, explaining why the TH-AI Passport project is necessary. He pointed out that Thailand's AI usage is below the global average and is rapidly falling behind other Southeast Asian countries. The ministry sees an urgent need to accelerate AI adoption, especially given the significant disparities between urban and regional areas. The target groups include three main categories: students, various personnel, and the general public, including SME entrepreneurs.
Regarding concerns about using over 1.6 billion baht from the Digital Economy Development Fund, he explained that this fund allows for faster spending and that unused budget by fiscal year-end does not have to be returned, making it suitable for public benefit. All procedures comply with government procurement laws, with firm assurances that there is no specification rigging or bid-rigging. The entire process follows standard public procurement steps.
A representative of the contract recipient clarified that when the total project budget is divided by the 5 million intended beneficiaries, the average cost is about 324 baht per person per year, or roughly 27.50 baht per person per month. This allows access to AI services from 14 leading providers encompassing over 31 models.
Regarding data security, a Microsoft representative confirmed that user data will be secure and anonymized to protect owner identities. Although the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society owns the data, it will be anonymized to ensure no identification or tracing is possible. AI service providers will not be able to use user data for generative AI training. User data and prompts will be stored on a cloud within Thailand and accessed only anonymously. Identity verification is used solely to confirm eligibility for Thai users, without disclosing personal information to AI model owners.
. Ms. Kadee Liaopairoj, also known as Dr. Aor, a party-list Member of Parliament for the Democrat Party, raised questions about the value for money of the 1.6 billion baht budget and whether it will truly benefit the public. Meanwhile, Mr. Teerachat Kotrakul, advisor to the opposition leader in the House of Representatives, pressed Minister Chaiyachonok on whether he knew or had close ties with the contracting companies or contractors involved. In response, Minister Chaiyachonok admitted he knew them, but said he knows many people across the country, having worked previously in the private sector. He said it would be unlikely not to know anyone winning the contract. However, he firmly stated he was not involved in the process, and everything was carried out according to correct procedures. .
