Bangkok: The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), in collaboration with partners, has initiated a pilot project titled “Safety Checks with AI” to enhance the quality of life for industrial workers, promoting sustainability across various provinces. The project is being implemented in the industrial estates of Sa Kaeo, Rayong, Chonburi, and Chachoengsao, with a goal to screen 5,000 workers over a two-month period.
According to Thai News Agency, the IEAT has partnered with AstraZeneca (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, and the Social Security Office of the Ministry of Labour to launch the “Project to Promote the Health and Well-being of Personnel in Industrial Estates.” The first initiative under this project, “Health Check-up with AI Innovation,” employs artificial intelligence to conduct free lung cancer screenings for industrial estate workers. The objective is to detect health risks early, facilitating timely treatment and bolstering economic growth through a healthy workforce.
Pol. Gen. Ittiporn Pothong, advisor to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin, emphasized the need for a balanced integration of industry, health, and environment in national development. He highlighted the importance of worker health in industrial estates for economic progress, especially concerning respiratory illnesses linked to environmental factors. The AI-assisted chest X-ray technology used in this initiative marks a significant advancement in linking environmental management with worker health protection.
Mr. Sumet Tangprasert, Governor of the IEAT, expressed the authority’s commitment to transforming Thai industrial estates into leading economic zones while safeguarding the environment and quality of life. The data collected from the AI-powered screenings will form a basis for systemic collaboration, creating a verifiable database of workforce health. This information will aid in formulating policies and guidelines tailored to the specific health needs of each area. IEAT plans to expand this initiative to all industrial estates nationwide to ensure the sustainability of the Thai workforce health system, thereby boosting investor confidence in the long term.
Ms. Somras Pongpruks, Director of Corporate Communications and Affairs at AstraZeneca (Thailand) Co., Ltd., reaffirmed AstraZeneca’s commitment to utilizing science and innovation to improve health outcomes and build a robust healthcare system in Thailand. The collaboration between government entities, private sector players, and health technology partners in this project aims to provide Thai workers with access to preventative health checkups and early screening for respiratory diseases, reducing the risk of death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.
The “Health Screening with AI Innovation” project is being piloted in industrial estates across four provinces, aiming to screen 5,000 workers by January 2026. The project employs Inspectra CXR, an advanced AI-powered technology developed by Perceptra, a Thai startup, to interpret chest X-rays. This technology boasts a 98.9% accuracy rate in detecting up to eight types of lung abnormalities and significantly reduces physician interpretation time, enhancing early detection efficiency. The initiative addresses the global health emphasis by the World Health Organization on lung health, which directly impacts quality of life and national competitiveness. In Thailand, respiratory diseases like COPD and lung cancer are prevalent causes of death, often diagnosed at advanced stages despite being preventable if caught early. Environmental factors such as PM2.5 exacerbate risks to the workforce, highlighting the importance of this project.