TH-AI Passport pay-per-user model aims to maximise budget value
Thailand’s TH-AI Passport now links state payments to active users under a revised contract reviewed by the Office of the Attorney General, with a target of 5 million users.
- The TH-AI Passport contract has been revised to a "Pay Per Active User" model, which ties government payments directly to the actual number of users.
- This change is intended to maximize the value for money from the project's budget and make the payment disbursement process clearer.
- Payments are based on the number of actual user logins up to a ceiling of 5 million, with the contractor facing penalties if usage is lower than the target.
- The ministry confirmed the amended contract was reviewed and found to be lawful by the Office of the Attorney General.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) has revised the TH-AI Passport contract to a Pay Per Active User model, tying state payments to actual use while retaining a ceiling of 5 million user entitlements.
The ministry argues that the change makes disbursement clearer and maximises value for money, adding that the amended agreement has been reviewed by the Office of the Attorney General.
Permanent Secretary Patchara Anuntasilpa explained the change on Friday (August 21) as the 1.6 billion baht project continued to face scrutiny over whether the spending is worthwhile, whether the procurement process is transparent and whether citizens’ data are adequately protected.
Payments linked to actual use
Patchara reported that 1,127,664 people had registered as of 12.40pm on Friday, after pre-registration opened on August 19. The service is scheduled to become fully accessible on August 31.
The original contract used by the Office of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission (BDE) followed the standard form prescribed by the policy committee for government procurement and supplies management.
Under that structure, contract payments generally require a fixed amount, except for fixed-price, indefinite-quantity purchase agreements, where orders and payments are based on the quantities actually used.
Such arrangements are used, for example, when the Department of Corrections purchases rice and other food for inmates or hospitals order ingredients to prepare meals for patients.
Under the amended agreement, the Pay Per Active User mechanism remains consistent with the original principle of paying according to actual use.
The contractor must deliver the project under a plan covering 5 million user entitlements, with users required to log in before the work can be accepted and payment disbursed. If fewer than 5 million users log in, the contractor will face penalties under Clause 11 of the original contract based on the number of actual logins.
The ministry maintained that the revised payment mechanism was intended to make the disbursement arrangements clearer while preserving the intent of the original agreement. The amendment was also submitted to the Office of the Attorney General for legal review.
People registering during the first three months of the programme will initially receive Innovator status for 30 days, giving them access to Pro-level AI models.
After that period, users must complete training worth 100 points and accumulate at least 100 points each month to retain Innovator status for the following month.
Those registering after November 30, 2026, will begin at Beginner level and must complete 100 points of training before moving up to Innovator status.
DE addresses data-protection concerns
Public questions have also centred on how personal information and data relating to generative AI use will be stored and processed under the project.
DE maintained that personal information, online-learning data, usage behaviour, registration processing, online-learning records and dashboard data would all be stored and processed in Thailand in accordance with personal-data-protection and cybersecurity requirements.
The TH-AI Passport platform has also been designed to detect, filter and mask personal or sensitive information before prompts are sent for processing by AI providers in Thailand or overseas.
According to the ministry, providers are prohibited from using the processed information for any other purpose or from using it to train their own AI models. They are also required not to retain the information once processing has been completed and the results returned.
The ministry also clarified that the project does not require the service to use a .net domain. Once the project is officially launched, the service will switch to a .go.th domain.
People who have already pre-registered through the existing .net site will not need to take any further action. Their registrations will remain valid and the system will automatically migrate the information to the .go.th domain.
Ministry insists revised deal is lawful
DE reiterated that the amended contract complies with the law and has been reviewed by the Office of the Attorney General.
It maintained that the Pay Per Active User structure would maximise value for money from the project budget, while personal and usage data would be stored and processed in Thailand in accordance with personal-data-protection and cybersecurity requirements.
