Thailand has recently formed a National AI Committee to guide the country’s approach to artificial intelligence. During its inaugural meeting earlier this month, the committee introduced a strategic roadmap aimed at positioning Thailand as a regional AI hub in Southeast Asia. The meeting marked an important first step in defining national AI policy and direction.
The Committee, established in April 2025 amid accelerating global competition and rapid AI advancements, is chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and vice-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), Prasert Jantararuangtong. Its membership includes representatives from key ministries and government agencies, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to Thailand’s AI development agenda.
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National AI Committee’s Four Strategic Initiatives
AI Workforce Development: A two-year plan will train 10 million general AI users, develop 90,000 AI professionals, and produce 50,000 AI developers—ensuring Thailand has the human capital to support the national goal. Tax incentive measures will also be introduced to encourage both companies and individuals to invest in upskilling through certified digital courses.
Strategic Infrastructure Investment: The government will invest in digital infrastructure, including cloud computing systems, advanced data centers, and GPU-based processing units. In addition, open-source AI platforms will be developed to reduce costs and expand innovation access across sectors.
Targeted AI Integration in Emerging Sectors: The plan will prioritize integrating AI into key sectors of national importance. In healthcare, AI will be used to enhance medical accuracy and support clinical decision-making. In the tourism sector, it will help personalize travel experiences and improve visitor engagement. In agriculture, the focus will be on boosting production efficiency and increasing market accessibility for farmers.
AI Center Establishment: New AI centers focused on specific domains, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), will be launched as innovation hubs. These centers aim to foster collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn also instructed the Committee to establish a consortium-style network that encourages collaboration across all sectors (e.g., private sector, government agencies, and academic institutions) to ensure participatory process that genuinely responds to the country’s needs. According to a source familiar with the matter, the government’s initial plan focuses on uniting Thai entrepreneurs and advancing collective progress, with investment support provided by the state.
At the next meeting, the Committee is expected to focus on key strategic initiatives and preliminary budget proposals submitted by relevant agencies. Several subcommittees are also expected to be formed, including the Subcommittee on AI Workforce Development and the Subcommittee on the Development and Promotion of the AI Economy.
Implications for AI-focused Businesses
Thailand is positioning itself as a friendly and highly attractive destination for AI-focused businesses and investors, backed by strong political will. The first meeting of the National AI Committee signals an open call for collaboration.
Businesses are strongly encouraged to work closely with the Committee—and, in time, its relevant subcommittees—to play an active role in contributing not only to Thailand’s AI policy but also the broader development of its future AI-driven economy. Contributions from the private sector could include offering unique insights, best practices, training programs, AI education initiatives, or collaborating on AI applications in priority sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and tourism.
On the regulatory front, the Electronics Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) is developing the Draft Principles of the Artificial Intelligence Law, which lays the foundation for the development of an Act-level law in the future. The Draft Principles are currently open for public comments until 9 June 2025.
Staying on top of these developments and working closely with the regulator will be essential to ensuring that the resulting framework is practical, balanced, and forward-looking—one that supports innovation, addresses ethical and security concerns, and does not obstruct the growth of the AI sector and the vast opportunities it presents for Thailand’s economic and societal advancement.
Additionally, as Thailand advances its AI regulatory framework, the government is actively aligning with international standards. It has embraced UNESCO’s principles of privacy protection, sustainability, inclusivity, and transparency—reflected in the ETDA’s national AI ethics guidelines. Thailand will also release the UNESCO Readiness Assessment Report to inform effective AI governance with actionable insights. In February, the Digital Economy and Society Committee also adopted the OECD Recommendation of the Council on Artificial Intelligence, reaffirming the country’s commitment to ethical AI development.