Country to utilise AI to monitor free trade areas

Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has vowed to push Thailand to gain an advantage in artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-based data centres, with the latter recording investments of more than 160 billion baht this year.
He said the country will leverage AI to predict trends in free trade areas, while encouraging Asean cooperation on AI skills development and governance.
“The world economy is advancing quickly and AI use is present in most segments. These trends are likely to persist over the coming decades,” said Mr Pichai on Tuesday at the Southeast Asia Trade and Development Forum 2024, organised by the International Institution for Trade and Development (ITD).
Thailand can gain an advantage in AI and data centres, he said. Global investment in AI-powered data centres in Thailand has tallied 160 billion baht so far this year.
The Board of Investment (BoI) recently announced that Equinix, a US data centre firm, plans to invest 16.5 billion baht in Thailand over the next 10 years.
Total investment promotion in data centres and cloud services exceeds 170 billion baht, according to the BoI.
Thailand is also benefiting from the consequences of geopolitical issues, with a further expansion of the manufacturing base of HP Inc.
Mr Pichai said from Thailand’s perspective, AI’s ability to streamline information could improve marketing and product quality among all businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), without significant costs.
Given the essential role Thai SMEs play in economic growth, equipping them with AI tools will support faster growth and easier expansion into global markets, he added.
“The commerce ministry will embrace AI to predict global trends in key sectors in trade negotiations such as the free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association, said Mr Pichai.
In Southeast Asia, where countries are striving for faster growth, inclusive development, and stronger integration into global trade networks, AI presents both tremendous opportunities and formidable challenges, he said.
AI offers the chance to leapfrog traditional stages of economic development, and can improve productivity across sectors.
Southeast Asia is in an ideal position to harness AI’s potential for growth. According to a joint report by Google and Temasek, AI could contribute an additional US$1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s GDP by 2030.
Through initiatives such as the Asean Economic Community, AI can help harmonise standards across borders, streamline customs processes, and reduce trade barriers.
Additionally, AI tools that analyse trade flows, market trends, and investment risks can provide businesses and policymakers with better data-driven insights, improving decision-making and economic strategies, he added.