Thailand unveils AI ethics centre, pledges major investment at UNESCO forum

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra made the announcement during the 3rd UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI 2025, held at Centara Grand at CentralWorld in Bangkok on Wednesday.

In her keynote address, Paetongtarn expressed appreciation to UNESCO for organising the forum and commended its leadership in adopting the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which has now been endorsed by all 194 member states.

“AI is no longer a future concept—it is already transforming how we live, work, and learn. As leaders, we must ensure this technology delivers real and inclusive benefits,” she said.

The prime minister outlined three shared goals for AI development:

• Maximise AI’s benefits
  AI can provide tangible solutions—from helping farmers manage water resources to aiding doctors with early diagnoses and enabling personalised learning. However, more must be done to scale these innovations, particularly in developing nations and among vulnerable communities.
   
• Guard against misuse
  The misuse of AI, especially in the form of misinformation and synthetic media such as deepfakes, poses a serious threat to public trust and democratic systems. Addressing this requires clear regulations, better content verification tools, and widespread digital literacy.
   
• Put people first
  Fears of job displacement are real. AI must support—not replace—human workers. Governments, businesses, and educators must collaborate to retrain workers and uphold the value of human labour.
   

Paetongtarn said the National AI Committee is spearheading Thailand’s AI development through key initiatives:

• Talent development: Aiming for 10 million users, 90,000 professionals, and 50,000 developers.
   
• Infrastructure investment: Over US$15.4 billion (502.52 billion baht) committed to core infrastructure.
   
• Open-source and data capabilities: More than $61 million (1.99 billion baht) invested in an open-source AI platform and a National Data Centre.
   
• Sectoral impact: Over $150 million (4.89 billion baht) in targeted impact across key industries.

The prime minister highlighted the launch of the (AIGPC), which will serve as a platform for sharing best practices in ethical AI, conducting training, and fostering cross-sector collaboration.

To further support UNESCO’s vision, Paetongtarn announced Thailand is also developing a progress tracking tool to monitor how member states are implementing the AI ethics recommendations—ensuring inclusivity and accountability across the board.

“AI must be a force for truth, inclusion, and human-centred progress. Let us work together to ensure that AI upholds dignity, protects societies, and benefits all,” she concluded.

Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong said the AIGPC will play a pivotal role in training, sharing policy approaches, and tackling emerging threats such as deepfakes and automated scams.

The centre aims to foster knowledge exchange, reduce inequality, and broaden regional expertise, he explained, adding that Thailand remains committed to working with UNESCO to further promote ethical AI.

“We are serious about this journey. And we believe that through openness, self-assessment, and continuous learning, Thailand can serve as a model for responsible AI in our region and beyond,” he said.

Prasert  also stressed that even with an expected Cabinet reshuffle, the AI development plan will remain uninterrupted. 

The government, he said, will continue laying the foundations in terms of human resources, infrastructure, and readiness assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses and formulate strategic plans suited to Thailand’s unique context.