Ekniti outlines Thailand's three-part AI strategy for jobs
Ekniti outlines Thailand's three-part AI plan in Bangkok, including Nok Krasip used by nearly one million merchants, skills programmes and broader access to finance.
- The first part of the strategy, 'AI in all', aims to improve existing jobs, demonstrated by an AI assistant already helping nearly one million small merchants manage their businesses.
- The second priority, 'all in AI', focuses on creating new employment by investing in tech infrastructure and preparing the workforce through skills-bridging programmes with educational institutions.
- The third part, 'AI for all', is designed to ensure no one is left behind by providing targeted support, reskilling opportunities, and access to credit for those who adapt more slowly to technological change.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas has highlighted Thailand’s growing use of artificial intelligence (AI), revealing that nearly one million small merchants are using an AI assistant to manage their businesses.
Speaking at the World Bank Group’s “Small AI: More and Better Jobs” discussion during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok on Monday (October 12), Ekniti outlined three priorities: improving existing jobs, creating new opportunities and ensuring that AI benefits everyone.
“AI is already changing the way people work and how businesses operate. And one of the big questions is how can we use AI to create better jobs and more opportunities for our people?”
The government calls its approach “AI in all, all in AI, and AI for all”.
Nearly one million traders using AI
Under “AI in all”, Ekniti highlighted Nok Krasip, or “Whispering Birds”, an AI assistant introduced alongside a support programme for small merchants facing the energy shock.
Built into the mobile wallet applications traders already use for government subsidies, the tool helps them manage stock and calculate profits.
Ekniti reported that nearly one million small merchants were using the assistant. With their consent, transaction data could eventually help banks better understand their businesses, particularly those without collateral or formal credit histories.
Linking technology investment to Thai jobs
The second priority, “all in AI”, focuses on preparing workers for new employment opportunities.
Ekniti pointed to investment in data centres, semiconductors, cloud services and advanced electronics, while emphasising that infrastructure spending must translate into jobs for Thai people.
Through skills-bridging programmes, the government is working with investors and educational institutions to match training with employers’ requirements and connect workers with job opportunities.
The strategy also aims to reduce the cost of computing, cloud infrastructure and AI tokens so that start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and universities can develop and use AI tools.
“We do not want to build an expensive AI highway that only large companies can afford to use. … We also want to bring down the cost of using AI, including the cost of tokens.”
Ensuring nobody is left behind
The third priority, “AI for all”, addresses the challenges facing workers and businesses that cannot adapt to technological change at the same pace.
“We need to make sure that nobody is left behind. We must recognise that not everyone will be able to adapt to AI at the same speed.”
Ekniti acknowledged that some workers would need new skills, while certain businesses would require more time and assistance as jobs evolve.
Thailand is working to connect information through digital public infrastructure and government fiscal programmes to identify people's needs more effectively. This could enable more targeted income support, reskilling opportunities and access to credit.
Ekniti also called for cooperation with the World Bank and other international institutions to share practical experience, protect people from online scams and deepfakes, and promote responsible AI governance.
The ultimate objective is to use technology to empower people while ensuring that the benefits of AI are widely shared.
