Thailand launches massive AI push with $14B investment and national training targets
Thailand is sprinting to become the ASEAN AI hub by 2027. The government rolled out a bold plan backed by ฿500 billion (~$14.3 billion) to power AI infrastructure, talent, and ethics.
A National AI Committee chaired by the Prime Minister now steers the effort. The goal: train 10 million AI users, 90,000 professionals, and 50,000 developers. 
Digital upgrades include GPU cloud services, AI training platforms, and a national data bank to unify public sector info. All government agencies face a 2026 digital transformation deadline.
The THAI Academy, launched with Microsoft, targets over a million Thais with free AI courses. The platform offers 200+ AI topics in Thai and English for city and rural learners.
Thailand is also hosting the UNESCO Global Forum on AI Ethics in June 2025 and created an AI governance centre via the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA).
AI goes beyond tech hype: it’s powering precision ag, smart traffic, tourism tools, financial fraud detection, and health innovation. The government is experimenting with AI sandbox zones in agri-tech, fintech, and health tech.
Risks around privacy, bias, and misuse are top of mind. Thailand is setting regulatory safeguards and plans a national AI certification to enforce safety, fairness, and accuracy.
The push aligns AI with sustainability goals — environmental monitoring, disaster response, and smart cities get AI boosts.
This all-in AI strategy aims to transform Thailand’s economy and society, making the country a regional leader in responsible, inclusive AI.
