Thailand’s Five-Year Infrastructure Investment Worth 1.88 Trillion Baht Takes Shape; Tenders Launched for Numerous High-Speed Rail, Highway and Land Bridge Projects

Reported by Thai Chinese News on June 29, MP Issariya analyzed the THB 33 billion digital budget, describing its growth rate as staggering. He warned that Phase 2 of the TH-AI Passport project might be revived through off-budget funding, while numerous projects market themselves as AI initiatives yet actually fund construction work. Parliament’s IT budget exceeds THB 500 million, and the bidding firm for the parliamentary IT scheme belongs to the same corporate group behind the TH-AI Passport project.

 

At 15:05 on June 29, People’s Party MP Issariya Payapayarit delivered a parliamentary debate on the digital components of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget bill. He pointed out that the incumbent government’s digital budget has surged sharply, dubbing the expansion plan “Digital Plus”.

 

The total digital budget for FY2027 tops THB 33 billion, representing a 28% year-on-year increase from FY2026, at a time when budgets for most other government agencies have been slashed. The budget of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society alone jumped by as much as 114%. Issariya questioned whether the dramatic hike stemmed from favouritism toward the minister or genuine government commitment to digital advancement.

 

Since the current administration took office, AI-related schemes have dominated the spotlight among digital projects, with the controversial TH-AI Passport standing out. The government previously insisted the project’s private-sector contracts were unalterable and irrevocable, yet it has recently begun revising these agreements, a move viewed as a positive development. Even so, Phase 1 of the scheme has not officially launched, while the Permanent Secretary has revealed that THB 900 million for Phase 2 was initially slated for inclusion in the FY2027 budget. Although the project was ultimately omitted from the formal budget bill, Issariya cautioned that it could still be funded via off-budget allocations.

 

Issariya stated that beyond TH-AI Passport, FY2027 features 176 AI-linked projects across 81 agencies, worth a combined THB 2.2 billion. He criticized that many schemes merely bear an “AI” label, echoing the previous hype around soft power initiatives. A large number of projects misrepresent their core functions: the single largest allocation of THB 164 million goes to a construction project at Mahidol University, which only incorporates artificial intelligence in its title but is essentially a building development. Another project boasts a four-line-long name claiming to integrate human and AI systems to develop halal blockchain technology.

 

Issariya acknowledged that greater government focus on AI is positive for Thailand, yet the bulk of the allocated funds flow overseas. He posed a critical question: “Do we aim to be buyers or innovators?” Out of the 176 listed projects, only one focuses on indigenous technological creation. He urged the government to ramp up funding for homegrown innovation.

 

Separately, cybersecurity initiatives span 71 agencies with a total budget of THB 2.3 billion. The public has raised doubts over why massive investment has failed to curb frequent hacking incidents and data breaches. Issariya suspected this sector could serve as a new avenue for profiteering, given the lack of standardized pricing for cybersecurity services and difficulties in verifying cost-effectiveness.

 

Computer hardware procurement accounts for the largest slice of Thailand’s digital budget, totalling THB 11 billion across 254 agencies and making up one-third of all digital spending. The IT budget for Parliament (both the House of Representatives and Senate) surpasses THB 500 million, nearly matching the aggregate national IT procurement of all other public bodies. The company shortlisted for the parliamentary IT tender belongs to the same conglomerate awarded the TH-AI Passport contract.

 

Issariya concluded that while the government’s digital policies appear impressive on paper, the actual budget suffers from redundant spending, waste and unclear strategic direction. He raised a rhetorical question: “Who serves as Thailand’s Chief Technology Officer? The answer may be the Minister of Digital Economy and Society.” However, the National AI Committee has yet to be established, a delay stretching back to Anutin’s first term in office. He called on the government to set up the committee without delay, warned that the digital budget risks becoming a new breeding ground for corruption, and urged authorities to leverage digital tools to boost operational efficiency while prioritizing return on investment.