Report Thailand Launches Thai AI Model to Boost National Tech Strategy

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Photo courtesy of Tech Talk Thai

 

The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) has teamed up with Siam AI Corporation to develop a comprehensive Thai large language model (LLM), a strategic move to bolster Thailand’s artificial intelligence capabilities and sovereign AI strategy. Siam AI has committed an investment of 300 million baht towards this transformative initiative.

 

During the memorandum of understanding signing on June 6, NSTDA President Sukit Limpijumnong highlighted the collaboration's importance in creating a Thai LLM that comprehends Thai context and culture. Developing a native Thai LLM is deemed vital for strengthening the nation’s digital infrastructure and encouraging AI growth in the local language.

 

Sukit noted the project’s significance in spurring AI development tailored to Thailand’s unique needs, fostering digital service innovation and enhancing national competitiveness. The NSTDA aims to facilitate intensive research and nurture a skilled workforce by developing a sandbox for proof of concept, thereby laying robust groundwork for long-term advancements.

 

Ratanaphon Wongnapachant, CEO of Siam AI, expressed that the partnership marks a critical juncture in building a Thai LLM for use across both public and private sectors. He emphasised that producing domestic LLMs is crucial as reliance on foreign models could risk losing key data necessary for foundational cognitive development.

 

LLMs with multimodal capabilities are considered essential for next-generation AI applications, like autonomous vehicles that require integrating text, vision, audio, and sensor data for real-time decision-making. Ratanaphon pointed out Siam AI’s strong infrastructure, featuring advanced Nvidia Blackwell architecture designed to support LLMs.

 

As one of four Asian nations, alongside China, Japan, and South Korea, investing in their own LLMs, Thailand’s model is expected to include 7 billion parameters, targeted for completion within three months, buoyed by Siam AI’s substantial financial commitment and earlier development phases.

 

Chai Wutiwiwatchai, Executive Director of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (NECTEC), stated that the agency contributes its multimodal LLM expertise to support Siam AI, recognised for its text-based LLM development. NECTEC has developed Pathumma LLM, an AI model designed to handle multimodal data, catering specifically to state and public sector documents by understanding official language and context.

 

NECTEC is also set to deploy government AI projects using Siam AI’s scalable and flexible infrastructure, and aims to cultivate a high-performance computing workforce to facilitate future innovations. According to the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index 2024, Thailand ranks 35 out of 188 governments, showcasing momentum in AI development, particularly in the medical sector. This presents a promising opportunity for Thailand to export AI-driven services.

 

In a related effort, Siam AI has partnered with Naver Cloud, a South Korean firm, to develop a Thai LLM and AI agents for the tourism industry. Leveraging Naver Cloud’s expertise and extensive Thai datasets, the collaboration aims to deliver a Thai-specific LLM by the year’s end, designed for practical applications in the vibrant tourism sector.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-06-10

 

 

[NoDisplayName]

Where's the "hub"?

 

"There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering hub-boom!"

[captain_shane]

300M baht will get them nothing. These language models need tens of billions of dollars of investment.