Bangkok: The Prime Minister held discussions with Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister, to leverage his experience from the Trans-British Empire (TBI) to help upgrade the Thai economy. Today at 8:30 AM, at the reception room on the 2nd floor of the Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul welcomed The Right Honourable Sir Tony Blair, former three-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), to exchange views on enhancing Thailand's economy and competitiveness, particularly the development of future industries, digital technology, and AI. They also discussed ways to leverage TBI's experience and expertise to support the implementation of key Thai government policies and achieve tangible results. Following the meeting, the key points were revealed by Ekkapop Pienpises, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister.
According to Thai News Agency, the Prime Minister welcomed and congratulated Sir Tony Blair on his return visit to Thailand, stating that the country is undergoing a significant transition. The government is focused on restructuring the economy and creating 'new economic engines' to enhance competitiveness and adapt to global economic changes. This involves shifting towards high-value and future-oriented industries, including the digital economy and AI, advanced industries, and clean energy, coupled with reforms to the public sector to improve efficiency, agility, and responsiveness.
The Prime Minister believes that Sir Tony Blair's experience, both as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for three terms and TBI's work with various governments, can be beneficial to Thailand during this transition period, particularly in linking economic strategies with technology, investment, and improving public sector efficiency to foster long-term growth and enhance the country's competitiveness.
TBI is a non-profit organization that serves as a practical advisory partner to governments and national leaders. It works closely with several governments on strategic planning, policy formulation, and implementation. Its key mission is to help address technological changes and national governance in the AI era, aligning with the Thai government's goal of translating key policies into action and achieving measurable results.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister sought Sir Tony Blair's perspective on issues that Thailand should prioritize to enhance its competitiveness and create opportunities in the new economy, as well as ways in which TBI can practically collaborate with Thailand, particularly in attracting investment in AI, semiconductor, and advanced industries; leveraging AI to increase productivity and create new skills and income for the people; and improving government efficiency through e-Government and AI Governance.
The Prime Minister also mentioned Thailand's national agenda to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), aiming for full membership by 2028 to elevate national standards and enhance competitiveness. He listened to feedback on how TBI can support Thailand, particularly in the areas of green transition and AI and digital transformation, and proposed a meeting at the official level between Thailand's OECD membership coordinator and the TBI team to identify areas of cooperation that can accelerate progress towards this goal.
Regarding AI development, the Prime Minister stated that advancements in AI are occurring rapidly, and the government must therefore accelerate preparations in terms of regulations, infrastructure, workforce skills, and the application of the technology to benefit the economy. Currently, Thailand is reviewing regulations and guidelines for data center investment to ensure that future investments maximize economic benefits for the country while also managing environmental impacts.
Regarding data centers, Sir Tony Blair emphasized the importance of Thailand's participation in data ownership and leveraging this data to develop applications that accurately address the Thai context. This would benefit the promotion and development of Thai startups. The Prime Minister mentioned his visit to Australia and his meeting with Canva, where a large number of Thai personnel are employed, reflecting the potential of Thai people. Both sides agreed that Thai technology and human resources represent significant opportunities for further development.
Furthermore, Sir Tony Blair shared his views on Thailand's energy challenges and energy transition, agreeing with Thailand's current approaches, including solar roofs. He also noted that, in addition to addressing energy needs, energy technology can be used as a bargaining chip in international trade. Sir Tony Blair believed that in the context of a world facing conflict and uncertainty, Thailand can appropriately position itself as a friendly nation and an integral part of the global supply chain.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister stated that the Thai people possess both the potential and the desire to develop AI, a sentiment Sir Tony Blair agreed with, noting that new technologies are increasingly in demand. Even the government sector needs to utilize technology to more efficiently monitor and manage data.
At the end, the Prime Minister thanked Sir Tony Blair for sharing valuable perspectives and experiences, reiterating Thailand's desire to build upon this discussion from an exchange of ideas to concrete cooperation, particularly in enhancing the economy and competitiveness, developing AI and digital transformation, climate change and energy, as well as supporting the OECD membership process. He also proposed appointing a coordinating officer at the official level to discuss details and follow up jointly with TBI. Sir Tony Blair expressed his willingness to provide information and advice to the Thai government to support the advancement of cooperation in these areas.