The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) will hold a public consultation to gather opinions on its TH-AI Passport project, which is facing growing scrutiny from the public and opposition parties.
The ministry's "TH-AI Passport Forum" is inviting representatives from the private sector, academic institutions, industry experts and members of the public to participate in discussions on the development framework and implementation of this national AI upskilling initiative.
The forum will be held on June 11 at the ministry's building in the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road, Bangkok.
The forum is viewed as an attempt by the ministry to open channels of communication with stakeholders while easing mounting criticism surrounding the project.
The event is expected to provide a platform for both supporters and sceptics to debate key issues, including transparency, value for money, implementation standards, and the long-term direction of Thailand's AI policy landscape.
A ministry source said the move comes at a sensitive moment for the TH-AI Passport programme, which has become the subject of intense public debate and scrutiny following criticism from opposition politicians, digital policy observers, academics, and segments of the technology industry.
Under the first phase of the scheme, the government plans to spend more than 1.6 billion baht to procure professional and premium generative AI models for free use by up to 5 million Thais for one year.
Authorities have repeatedly defended the initiative as a strategic investment intended to prevent Thailand from falling behind in the global AI race.
However, critics have raised a series of concerns spanning budget allocation, procurement transparency, project design, and the selection process for the winning bidder.
One major point of contention centres on whether the scale of the budget is proportionate to the actual deliverables and long-term measurable outcomes.
Questions have been raised over how training effectiveness will be assessed, how many participants are realistically expected to complete the programme, and whether the initiative risks becoming a large-scale certificate distribution scheme without sufficient depth in practical AI capability development.
IT industry observers and opposition figures have questioned whether certain technical qualifications and terms of reference may favour specific consortia or technology providers.
DES Minister Chaichanok Chidchob recently pledged to gather more input before proceeding with the project.
