Thailand aims to establish itself as a regional leader in artificial intelligence, but it must address key challenges in ethics, workforce development, and sustainability to fully realize AI’s potential.
Thailand’s AI ambitions
Artificial Intelligence is a blooming field that is transforming industries globally, and Thailand is keen to keep pace. More than 70% of Thai people have admitted to using AI in their daily life, and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency estimates that Thailand’s AI market could reach 114 billion baht by 2030, playing a crucial role in the nation’s economy.
Aspiring to establish itself as an AI leader among its ASEAN peers, the country is guided by the government’s 2022 National Artificial Intelligence Plan. It lays out an all-encompassing strategy for AI growth, intending to goad the economy and improve quality of life in the Kingdom.
Five goals and strategies have been progressively implemented among ten industries since the plan was unveiled:
- Preparing Thailand’s readiness in social, ethics, law, and regulation for AI application.
- Developing infrastructure for sustainable AI Development.
- Increasing human capability and improving AI education.
- Driving AI technology and innovation development (through R&D prototypes).
- Promoting the use of AI in public and private sectors.
Since the start of the first phase, AI-related developments have been incrementally covering the fields of government services, food and agriculture, and healthcare. Currently in its second phase, the plan will tackle until 2027 the areas of education, transportation, security, energy and environment, tourism, finance and manufacturing.
Despite the strong ambitions exposed in its plan of action, the country faces several challenges in its AI journey.
Challenge 1: Building Trustworthy and Ethical AI Frameworks
One of the major impediments for Thai AI is ensuring its ethical and responsible use. AI technologies, if untrammelled, can pose significant risks in areas such as data privacy, bias, and accountability. To address this, Thailand has taken steps to align with international ethical standards, notably the OECD AI Principles.
The Thai government has already implemented AI ethics guidelines, with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) approving the country’s first AI ethics framework in 2021. Additionally, a Draft Royal Decree on Business Operations using AI Systems was introduced in March 2022, to create legal mechanisms for AI regulation.
While these measures are promising, further challenges lie ahead, especially in the form of patent-related issues, as the country lacks a solid framework that would structure intellectual property rights.
On March 4, 2025, the Artificial Intelligence Association of Thailand (AIAT) joined a seminar on “AI Patents and Strategies for Attracting Capital”. What came out of this discussion is that with no clear protection for AI systems, developers may struggle to secure their innovations, and it is thus crucial to strengthen legal regulations and ensure transparency for the sake of Thailand’s competitiveness in the AI ecosystem.
Challenge 2: Bridging the AI skills gap
To take advantage of AI’s economic potential, Thailand must build a working pool able to spearhead AI adoption across industries. This is why the 2022 National AI Plan aims to increase the country’s AI skillforce by 30 000 individuals, with significant investment in training programs. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has also committed to coach 100 000 Thais in AI by 2026.
The Education Ministry is now integrating AI into its curricula to equip students with up-to-date knowledge, as well as creating scholarship programs to reinforce the students’ skills.
Encouragingly, Thai workers are already demonstrating strong AI engagement – 92% of knowledge workers report using AI at work, significantly above the global average of 75%.
However, challenges do persist. The country must ensure that AI training programs reach diverse groups, including rural populations, to prevent digital inequalities. Additionally, fostering international collaboration with AI experts and creating networks of researchers will be essential to keeping Thai talent on an equal footing with their peers abroad.
Challenge 3: Addressing AI’s environmental impact
As AI adoption accelerates, Thailand experiences a surge in demand for energy-hungry data centers. While essential for supporting AI applications, those centers pose sustainability questions due to their high energy and water consumption.
Efforts are underway to balance AI expansion with sustainability goals. Investments in green data centers, energy-efficient AI models, and eco-friendly infrastructures are becoming priorities in several companies. For instance, telecom giant AIS has leveraged AI to optimize energy use, reducing electricity costs by 140 million baht annually. However, expanding such initiatives nationwide remains a challenge at a time when environmental concerns are all the rage.
The future of Thai AI
Thailand has demonstrated a clear commitment to AI development, with strong government initiatives and growing participation from both public and private sectors.
However, to fully realize its AI potential, the country must address critical challenges – promoting ethical AI governance, fostering a skilled workforce, and integrating sustainability into AI growth.
By tackling these issues, Thailand can position itself as a leader in AI innovation in Southeast Asia while ensuring a responsible digital transformation.
