Rakchanok Srinoak mocked that if Minister Chaiyachonok is invited to explain the TH-AI Passport project, should guardians be informed first, after all three officials mysteriously disappeared together. Meanwhile, the DE Permanent Secretary clarified in detail that the ministry was invited four times, sent representatives to every meeting, and has provided a total of nine sets of documents.
On 14 Aug 2026, Ms. Rakchanok Srinoak, a list MP from the People’s Party, posted a video questioning the TH-AI Passport project. She asked if, in the future, the parliamentary budget oversight committee should notify guardians before inviting Minister Chaiyachonok Chidchob of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) to explain, noting that in the latest committee meeting, all three officials were absent together.
Minister Chaiyachonok did not attend and delegated Permanent Secretary Patchara Anantasill to attend instead.
Permanent Secretary Patchara also did not attend and assigned Mr. Theerawut Thongphak, Inspector General of the DE Ministry, to attend in his place.
Mr. Theerawut also failed to attend and delegated the TOR Committee to represent the ministry.
In the end, no one was able to provide any answers. How could this not raise concerns, especially with a budget of 1.6 billion baht involved?
Later, Mr. Patchara explained that following the committee’s request for updates on the contract amendments for the TH-AI Passport project, Minister Chaiyachonok ordered him and all relevant officials in the DE Ministry to fully cooperate with the budget oversight committee. He delegated those involved to attend every meeting.
The budget oversight committee invited the DE Ministry to attend four meetings, not including direct invitations to the project's contractors. The DE Ministry assigned executives and officials involved in the procurement process to attend, summarized as follows.
At the first meeting, Mr. Theerawut Thongphak, then Deputy Secretary-General of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission (NDESC), attended.
At the second meeting, Mr. Patchara, Mr. Wetang Phaongsap, Secretary-General of NDESC, and Mr. Theerawut Thongphak attended.
At the third meeting on 16 July 2026, Mr. Wetang Phaongsap and Mr. Theerawut Thongphak attended.
At the fourth meeting on 13 August 2026, Ms. Ployrawi Kreekpanakul, Director of the Digital Society Promotion Division at NDESC, along with officials from the Digital Economy Fund Management Division, the TOR drafting committee secretariat, and the contract evaluation committee attended. Meanwhile, the DE Ministry has submitted a total of nine documents requested by the committee for review.
1) Announcement of the procurement plan for the project to enhance digital and artificial intelligence skills for Thai people (TH-AI Passport).
2) Scope of work and technical specifications (TOR) for the project.
3) The project's median price.
4) Invitation announcement.
5) Announcement of the winning bidder.
6) Contract for project implementation, including annexed documents.
7) Project details approved under Sections 26 (1) and (2) for the years 2020–2025.
8) Minutes from the Digital Economy and Society Development Fund Management Committee meetings.
9) Letter from the Anti-Corruption Cooperation Subcommittee, Comptroller General’s Department, notifying the selection results of the project to establish a moral agreement.
"The DE Ministry has consistently cooperated well with the budget oversight committee, assigning relevant personnel to clarify any questions thoroughly, covering all related matters including compliance with laws, regulations, and good governmental practices. The ministry has also provided all requested documents for review. However, due to the volume of requested documents and some requests potentially affecting normal government operations or involving information unrelated to budget oversight, there are certain limitations in providing all evidence. Regarding the fourth meeting where references were made to Supreme Court judgments, these are unrelated to the ministry’s current project operations. Nonetheless, if the committee wishes for further clarifications or additional documents, they can submit requests to the DE Ministry, which is ready to cooperate in line with the policy directives from the Minister of Digital Economy," said Mr. Patchara.