The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Company on digital development cooperation, which will help move Thailand toward becoming an artificial intelligence (AI) hub in the ASEAN region.

Government Spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said that the MOU was signed on 18 December 2023 during the Huawei Cloud AI Summit Thailand 2023 in Bangkok. It will enhance cooperation between the ministry and Huawei in creating the cloud and AI digital ecosystems and developing human resources in this field for Thailand. This will also advance Thailand’s AI and digital transformation. 

He said that Huawei was regarded as a bridge between the Chinese private sector and the Thai government. Their cooperation also includes the exchange of industrial knowledge and expertise, with advanced technologies and solutions from China. 

The partnership between Thailand and Huawei would expand the Thai digital business to the regional and global levels and attract Chinese enterprises wanting to invest in Thailand. Thailand is now at a critical junction in its digital transformation, as it focuses on promoting cloud-based infrastructure for the country’s digital progress.

The Government Spokesperson said that the Thai government aims to push the “cloud-first policy” as the new growth engine, and it believes that cloud and AI technology are part of Thailand’s future. He explained that, apart from developing AI, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and Huawei would join hands in moving forward the digital economy in Thailand, providing training and skill development for Thai digital personnel, and encouraging Huawei’s business partners to co-invest with Thailand in building the technological base for digital transformation in Thailand.

The Government has launched “AI Thailand” as a national program, aimed at preparing essential infrastructure for AI development in order to promote economic growth and enhance the country’s competitiveness. In addition to infrastructure, human capacity and effective ecosystems need to be established. As a result, Thailand national AI strategy and action plan (2022-2027) are being implemented to strengthen the country’s economy and improve the people’s quality of life.