Thai Digital Minister Refuses to Halt $45M 'TH-AI Passport' Project

 

 

Digital Minister Chaichanok Chidchob defends the 1.62bn-baht AI initiative, denying procurement interference as opposition demands anti-graft scrutiny.

 

 

Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DE) Minister, Chaichanok Chidchob, has firmly rejected calls to suspend the government’s controversial 1.62-billion-baht ($45 million) "TH-AI Passport" project, despite threats of a formal anti-corruption investigation by the opposition.

 

The opposition People’s Party announced plans to petition the State Audit Office (SAO) and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to probe the initiative.

 

The opposition is demanding a full freeze on the project until allegations regarding the bidding process and potential conflicts of interest are thoroughly examined.

 

However, Chaichanok countered by insisting the project will push ahead without delay.

 

He categorically denied interfering in the drafting of the Terms of Reference (TOR) or the wider procurement process, emphasising that all operations have been entirely transparent and legally compliant.

 

"I welcome transparency just as much as anyone else," the Minister stated, noting that he immediately summoned relevant agencies for clarification when the concerns surfaced. "But I ask that the transparency probe be separated from the intrinsic value of the project. This is a highly cost-effective and vital initiative for our nation’s future."
 

 

 

 

 

 

Sovereign AI and data security

Addressing data privacy anxieties, Chaichanok revealed that all user data generated by the TH-AI Passport will be securely hosted within domestic data centres.

 

Foreign AI providers participating in the scheme will be legally barred from using Thai citizen data to train or develop their own proprietary models abroad.

 

Instead, the government intends to utilise the aggregated data as a foundation to develop Thailand's own "Sovereign AI Model," aimed at building long-term technological self-reliance and reducing dependence on foreign big tech.

 

Defending the decision to unveil the project only after significant progress had been made, the minister explained that the timeline had been fast-tracked to meet strict implementation deadlines, denying any deliberate attempt to withhold information from the public.

 

 

 

 

Extra-budgetary funding defended

Providing a detailed breakdown of the project's timeline, DE permanent secretary Patchara Anuntasilpa explained that the policy originated in late 2025 under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's administration, focusing on national digital upskilling.

 

Because the ministry could not secure standard fiscal state funds or emergency central budgets in time, it tapped into the National Digital Economy and Society Fund, utilising an extra-budgetary pool of over 1 billion baht.

 

Patchara stressed that the financial allocation complied strictly with legal regulations and was vetted by the Comptroller General’s Department.

 

 

 

The contract was officially signed on 7 April 2026 after a competitive bidding process involving three private firms. The winning bid of 1.621 billion baht successfully saved the state 29 million baht ($805,000) against the set median price.

 

Responding to allegations that the procurement criteria were "locked" or rigged to benefit a firm connected to the ruling Bhumjaithai Party, Patchara dismissed the claims.

 

He stated that the project fundamentally required a contractor with proven experience in handling billion-baht state IT infrastructure.

 

 

 

 

Project Timeline

Late September – Early October 2025: Project conceived under Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's digital upskilling policy.

 

5 November 2025: DE computer committee approves cost estimates. To bypass regular budget delays, the ministry secures over 1 billion baht from the National DE Fund, vetted by the Economic Cabinet.

 

17 November 2025: Procurement begins under the Ministry of Finance guidelines. Terms of reference are opened for public consultation, drawing seven firms.

 

24 December 2025 – 26 January 2026: Official 30-day bidding window opens. Three private companies submit formal proposals.

 

7 April 2026: Contract signed for 1.621 billion baht, saving the state 29 million baht ($805,000) against the original median price.

 

June 2026: Launch of a public campaign to roll out 5 million entitlements for citizens aged 15 and over.

 

Fiscal Year 2027: A proposed 900-million-baht ($25 million) budget request for Phase 2 is submitted for review.

 

 

 

Wholesale pricing advantage

Defending the commercial framework, Wetang Phuangsup, secretary-general of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission (ONDE), revealed that bidders were evaluated on a strict ratio of 80 per cent technical competency to 20 per cent price. To qualify, the contractor had to provide an AI model ranked among the top five globally.

 

Wetang highlighted that while individual retail users typically pay a market rate of 19 to 20 USD per month for premium AI access, the ministry's bulk-buy wholesale model successfully drove the cost down to just 27 baht (approx. $0.75) per user per month.

 

The scheme aims to distribute 5 million AI user entitlements to Thai citizens aged 15 and over, managed by a joint public-private committee. The ministry has already requested an additional 900 million baht ($25 million) for the 2027 fiscal year to fund Phase 2 of the rollout.