The government wants all units to fully adopt digital systems by next year, with an estimated investment of 500 billion baht in digital infrastructure.
According to Sasikarn Wattanachan, deputy spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, the investment will come from a combination of government funding and private sector contributions, both domestic and international.
The goal was announced following the first meeting of the National AI Committee on May 1, chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
According to Ms Sasikarn, the premier stated before the meeting that the world is changing rapidly and over the past 10 years Thailand's growth rate has been relatively slow. The integration of AI and technology is important to address these issues, said Ms Paetongtarn.
The government recognises this matter is crucial and cannot be delayed. Continuous development is necessary to enhance Thailand's competitiveness on the global stage.
To drive progress and technological development in the country, the National AI Committee has been established to implement the National AI Action Plan for Thailand's development.
This committee will be responsible for directing the various aspects of AI development. It is believed that this initiative will be a critical starting point and a driving force in propelling Thailand towards strong and strategic development.
As part of AI advancement, efforts will also focus on developing human resources to foster a deeper understanding of AI, enabling the country to move forward with stability and sustainability in response to global changes.
The establishment of the National AI Committee aims to define strategies for preparing Thailand in various areas, particularly the development of a sufficient AI workforce which is a fundamental factor, with the goal of educating and equipping at least 10 million AI users, no fewer than 90,000 AI professionals and at least 50,000 AI developers within two years.
In addition, the plan includes promoting investment in infrastructure development, such as cloud systems, data centres, graphics processing units (GPUs) and the development of open-source AI platforms.
These initiatives are intended to support the widespread application of AI technologies at an affordable cost. A data bank will also be established to consolidate information useful for AI development across various sectors.
Regarding the promotion of AI adoption in business and industry, the focus will be on sectors that support economic growth and social development, such as healthcare, tourism and agriculture.
The application of AI is expected to enhance the efficiency of Thailand's healthcare system and elevate it to become a regional medical hub in Southeast Asia.
In tourism, AI will help boost both the number of visitors and their spending. In agriculture, AI will improve the efficiency of farming, increase productivity and enable more targeted commercial and market activities.
It is anticipated that supporting AI applications in these various sectors will greatly benefit public healthcare services, the tourism industry and Thai farmers.
To accelerate the adoption of AI, the government will also support the establishment of centres of excellence to systematically integrate AI development across different fields in collaboration with the private sector, said Ms Sasikarn.
Chai Wutiwiwatchai, assistant secretary-general of the National AI Committee, said the government's digital budget, of which roughly 10 billion baht will be allocated to AI development in 2025-26, still needs detailed discussion.
The two-year budget is a part of Thailand's National AI Strategy and Action Plan (2022–27), marking the second phase of the country's AI development roadmap.
This phase focuses on AI readiness, with key initiatives centred around skills training, soft infrastructure development and industry collaboration.
A major component of this phase includes the OpenThaiGPT -- an open-source foundation model aimed at enhancing AI accessibility and innovation.
Additionally, the government is prioritising the expansion of AI services and governance frameworks to ensure responsible AI deployment.
Furthermore, tax incentives will serve as a strategic AI enabler, encouraging the growth of AI startups and fostering a thriving AI-driven ecosystem, as well as hard infrastructure in advanced high performance computing.