The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society expects to launch the TH-AI Passport programme by Sept 1, after the Office of the Attorney General cleared the final legal hurdle for the nationwide AI initiative.
Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said the revised agreement has been sent back to the ministry, allowing the project to proceed in accordance with the contractual requirement that the platform be launched by Sept 1 this year.
The amended contract introduces key changes to the project's commercial terms. Instead of paying the contractor a fixed 1.621-billion-baht fee for a platform designed to serve five million users, the government will adopt a pay-per-active-user payment model.
The revised agreement also requires the platform to support full concurrent user capacity, enabling all active users to access the service simultaneously without system limitations.
The TH-AI Passport programme is one of the government's flagship initiatives aimed at expanding nationwide access to artificial intelligence tools and accelerating AI adoption among Thai citizens.
The project will provide multiple AI models through a single subscription framework, targeting students, workers, state officials and the public aged 15 and above, with particular emphasis on first-job entrants entering the labour market.
Mr Chaichanok also addressed calls by Rukchanok Srinork, chair of the House's Committee on Budgeting Study and Budget Administration Follow-up and member of the opposition People's Party, that he personally explain the project before the panel on Aug 13.
He would not attend himself because he was not directly involved in the procurement process. However, he has assigned the ministry's permanent secretary and officials to provide detailed explanations.
Asked about the opposition's pledge to file complaints with oversight agencies, including the National Anti-Corruption Commission, once the project is officially launched, the minister said he remained unfazed.
"I see it as part of the experience," Mr Chaichanok said, adding that he remained confident in the project's transparency and value.
