Thailand embraces AI to lead global economy by 2030

Thailand is rapidly embracing artificial intelligence (AI) technology across public and private sectors, aligning with global technological advancements. This movement was highlighted during a seminar, where experts emphasised the importance of an AI-ready workforce to propel Thailand into the forefront of the AI-driven global economy by 2030.

Scheduled as a significant milestone, 2030 is anticipated to witness a global economic transformation spurred by AI, as discussed at the AI Thailand Forum 2024. The seminar was organised by prominent bodies, including the Artificial Intelligence Association of Thailand and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), in collaboration with SCB X and Kasikorn Business-Technology Group (KBTG).

NSTDA President Sukit Limpijumnong, who also serves as the secretary of the National AI Action Plan Steering Committee, underlined Thailand’s commitment to AI by implementing a national strategy and action plan for 2022 to 2027. Ethical guidelines have been established to regulate AI applications within the business sector.

The development of AI infrastructure is underway, featuring a national AI service platform supported by the Government Data Centre and Cloud Service. Additionally, the supercomputer LANTA, recognised as the most computationally efficient in the ASEAN region, is available to aid AI research across various sectors, Sukit said.

“Last year, efforts were made to enhance the AI skills of workers via various platforms, benefiting over 100,000 participants.”

Education and research sectors have also seen AI integration, with the Education Ministry fostering AI usage in teaching and supporting startups in creating over 50 AI-based product prototypes. In research, AI aids in analysing large population data for strategic planning by the National Economic and Social Development Council, benefiting over 600,000 individuals across 17 provinces.

AI technologies

A medical AI consortium has been established, consolidating over 1.6 million medical images for research and public health advancements. Despite a drop to the 37th position in the AI Government Readiness Index for 2023, Thailand retains a strong standing out of 193 countries due to its robust public sector score of 77.21 and infrastructure rating of 70.55.

The country’s technology score has improved to 41.33, yet further development is necessary to enhance overall AI capabilities. Chai Wutiwiwatchai, executive director of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (NECTEC), highlighted the Thai-language national AI service platform’s achievements, with 53 million accumulated usages. NECTEC is also collaborating on developing OpenThaiGPT, a comprehensive Thai language model.

Currently, several major agencies are piloting AI applications, including the House of Representatives and the Revenue Department. One such application, Pathumma LLM, processes Thai language data in various formats, offering functionalities like natural conversation, image captioning, and audio analysis.

“Thailand can focus on four main areas in the field of AI apps — finance, tourism, agriculture and healthcare — to achieve sustainable economic growth,” stated Rungroj Poonpol, group chairman of KTBG.

He emphasised the necessity of nurturing AI talent to drive innovation and create impactful use cases across industries, reported Bangkok Post.

Looking ahead to 2030, AI is poised to significantly contribute an estimated US$15.7 trillion to global GDP, marking a pivotal overhaul in the world economy driven by AI technologies.