Bangkok: "Rakchanok" points out that the TH-AI Passport forum was more of a whitewashing platform than a platform for listening to opinions, suggesting the project be scrapped and a budget request submitted through the normal process for joint parliamentary scrutiny.
According to Thai News Agency, today at the Office of the Auditor General of Thailand, Ms. Rakchanok Srinok, a Member of Parliament from the People's Party and Chair of the House Committee on Budget Management and Monitoring, expressed her concerns regarding the TH-AI Passport project. The Committee had participated in a public hearing organized by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE), which she criticized for lacking genuine public engagement. The forum, she noted, resembled a press conference more than an interactive session, as it even disabled comments on its online live stream. Rakchanok observed that the initial one and a half hours of the event seemed intended to whitewash the proceedings without addressing any substantive questions. Furthermore, the event appeared structured to limit discourse.
A critical issue raised was the ambiguity surrounding the allocation of the 1.6 billion baht budget for the project. Despite pressing for clarity, neither the Permanent Secretary, the Minister, nor any officials provided answers. This lack of transparency was evident when budget slides contradicted previous assurances of unlimited token usage, revealing limitations instead. Rakchanok also questioned why the Terms of Reference (TOR) mirrored those of a different ministry, attributing it to a careless copy-paste error that should have remained within the same ministry.
Mr. Theerachart Kaotrakul, an advisor to the Committee, highlighted that the Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD), under the Prime Minister's Office, has a similar AI application available for free download, developed at a mere cost of 2.4 million baht. This stark contrast in project costs raises concerns about the necessity and efficiency of the TH-AI Passport initiative.
Ms. Rakchanok reiterated her call for the project's cancellation, suggesting the minister could pause the initiative and pay a partial fine to the private sector, subsequently reallocating the remaining funds. She emphasized that if the minister is intent on proceeding with the project, funding should be sought through the standard budgetary process, involving thorough scrutiny by the House of Representatives, the Budget Committee, and sub-committees. The objective is not to hinder AI advancements in Thailand but to address the irregularities observed in the current 1.6 billion baht process. She questioned the insistence on pushing forward despite these concerns.