As Southeast Asia advances its digital transformation, Thailand stands at a pivotal moment. The country’s digital economy is currently estimated to contribute around 6% of GDP, making it the second-largest digital economy in the ASEAN region. The country has made significant investments in digital infrastructure and workforce development through initiatives such as the National AI Strategy, digital tax incentives, STEM workforce schemes, and public–private training programmes supported by various government ministries. At the same time, Thailand’s economy—anchored by tourism, services, and manufacturing—is undergoing rapid restructuring due to to the adoption of AI in the country. These shifts bring both opportunities for productivity and growth as well as risks of widening inequality, job displacement, and skills mismatch, particularly for informal workers, SMEs, and new graduates struggling to secure high-quality employment.
Amidst this context, the Tech for Good Institute (TFGI) in partnership with the Thailand Development Research Institute, convened an in-person New Models of Work roundtable in Bangkok, Thailand on 2 December 2025. The in-person roundtable brought together senior government officials, policy researchers, academics, and private sector representatives to explore how AI is transforming Thailand’s workforce. This event formed part of TFGI’s broader New Models of Work Series, comprising four virtual dialogues and six in-person country sessions to situate regional work trends within local contexts and identify actionable insights for governments, businesses, and academia.
The discussion focused on how Thailand can navigate accelerating technological shifts while managing emerging risks through stronger governance, coordinated partnerships, and continuous investment in workforce development. Participants emphasized that Thailand must proactively shape these transitions to ensure technology-driven growth remains inclusive and future-ready.
Participants:
- Omika Bunkan, Bureau Director, The Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (Public Organization)
- Pathomdanai Ponjan, Head of International Affairs Group 2, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society
- Doungjai Khunto, Labor academic, Department of Labor protection and Welfare
- Sukit Khrutkhong, Director, Informal Labour Protection Division
- Nondhanath Teesee, Director of Administration Division, Thailand Consumers Council
- Petchara Inthanon, computer technical officer, Department of land transport
- Nawaluck Sangseda, Skill Development Technical Officer, Department of Skill Development
- Rawadee Pungtrong, Labour Specialist, Informal Labour Protection Division
- Siranat Maythiyanon, Foreign Relations Officer, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society
- Nattabhorn Buamahakul, Managing Partner, Vero Advocacy
- Nopphasin Camapaso, Researcher, Thailand Development Research Institute
- Yanichnat Chalermtiarana, Assistant Managing Director, Grab Thailand
- Phanuchapong Suksawasdi, Project Assistant, Vero Advocacy
- Nathchaya Pongakkarawat, Former Advisor to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society,
- Potjana Cherish, DEPA
- Sithorn Kulradathor, DEPA
- Surin Khomfoi, Vice President, Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council.
- Pattadon Donyarak Nontakatrakool, Labour Specialist, Department of Employment
- Putthiphan Hirunyatrakul, Research Fellow, Thailand Development Research Institute
- Citra Nasruddin, Programme Director, Tech for Good Institute
- Fairoz Ahmad, Fellow, Tech for Good Institute
- Bas Claudio, Associate, Tech for Good Institute
Key Takeaways:
1. AI is reshaping work in Thailand, exposing both workforce vulnerabilities and opportunities and vulnerabilities
AI is disrupting work in Thailand particularly at the task level across various industries. Routine, administrative, and entry-level roles—particularly in manufacturing, logistics, retail, and services, are becoming increasingly automated. Figures from the National Economic Social Development Council reveal that 89% of employers avoid hiring fresh graduates in the country with over half respondents citing lack of appropriate job skills as a crucial factor. This figure is expected to decline further as AI takes over routine tasks.
At the same time, AI is creating new opportunities, especially in high-skill roles, data science, digital services, and AI-assisted sectors such as tourism and hospitality. Participants highlighted how platforms such as Grab are using AI-driven matching systems to increase efficiency and income opportunities for drivers, riders, and small merchants. Tourism players increasingly deploy AI translation tools and smart service systems, helping workers with limited English proficiency participate more effectively.
These developments align with global trends: according to LinkedIn’s workforce transformation in report, Southeast Asia is among the regions with the fastest growth in AI-skilled talent, but also among those facing the steepest transition challenges in lower-skilled work.
2. Thailand faces significant skills gaps and infrastructure constraints
Thailand lacks sufficient AI specialists, cybersecurity professionals, data engineers, and digital workers to match the growth of its digital infrastructure. Even as new data centers and cloud providers expand across the country, talent supply struggles to keep pace.Higher education institutions are restructuring curricula toward AI literacy, flexible micro-credentials, and co-created industry programmes, but universities acknowledge a persistent gap: students are trained to solve current industry problems, not the future problems AI will create. The Ministry of Higher Education Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI)’s new flexible, stackable skill pathways and credit bank initiatives aim to address this, but implementation remains uneven.
While large firms have the resources to adopt AI tools, small hotels, family businesses, and rural SMEs struggle with the high cost of cloud services and limited digital infrastructure. Thailand can explore state-supported digital infrastructure or national cloud systems to make AI adoption more accessible and prevent a widening productivity divide.
3. Deeper public–private collaboration is essential to build a digitally resilient workforce
Thailand’s ability to navigate AI-driven transformation will hinge on stronger, more coordinated public–private collaboration. While government agencies have launched tax incentives, micro-credential frameworks, competency-based curricula, and digital upskilling programmes, these efforts alone are insufficient without deeper partnerships with industry. The private sector holds real-time insight into evolving skill needs and can help shape curricula, provide practical training opportunities, and expand access to digital tools—exemplified by initiatives like GrabAcademy, which equips drivers and small merchants with digital literacy, language skills, and online business competencies. At the same time, participants noted that Thailand needs more agile governance mechanisms, such as regulatory sandboxes, to enable rapid experimentation with new training models and worker-protection standards in a fast-moving technological landscape. Public and private actors must also address longstanding structural barriers together, including the high cost of cloud services for SMEs, uneven access to digital infrastructure, and the difficulty informal workers face in upskilling without income support.
Overall, the discussion underscored that Thailand’s digital workforce strategy cannot rely on siloed initiatives: sustained collaboration, shared investment, and policy coherence across sectors are essential to developing a workforce that is not only digitally capable but also resilient and adaptable amid accelerating technological change.
