BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand’s TH-AI Passport project is moving ahead, with pre-registration scheduled to open on August 19 before the system officially begins operating on August 31, Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said. Chaichanok said the pre-registration period will allow users to test the system ahead of the launch. Participants will receive an online link and QR code, while identity verification will be conducted through the government’s ThaID system to prevent duplicate registrations and misuse of personal information.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society is expected to announce full details and participation conditions before the official project launch on August 28. The initial eligibility requirement is that participants must be over 15 and complete identity verification. The project’s supplementary contract is also being revised. The original agreement, signed on April 7, allocated a budget of 1.621 billion baht for up to five million users.
Under the revised arrangement, payments will instead be based on the actual number of active users each month under a Pay per Active User model. The system will also be adjusted to accommodate all users accessing the platform simultaneously, reducing potential bottlenecks.
Chaichanok said the government has yet to decide whether to continue or modify the project in fiscal 2027. Officials will first assess the results after the system is opened to the public, particularly given the rapid pace of AI development.
He also addressed criticism over his absence from a House committee meeting examining the project and budget administration, saying he had not disappeared and was acting within his legal authority. Chaichanok said that when official duties prevented him from attending, he assigned ministry officials to cooperate fully with the committee. (Story and Photo: MGR Online)
