BDI and EY host seminar on AI sovereignty to advance Thailand’s national AI strategy

Bangkok, 29 April 2026 – The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the Big Data Institute (BDI) and EY Thailand jointly hosted the seminar “AI Sovereignty & The Digital Nation | Thailand’s Strategic Imperative,” providing a platform for policymakers and industry leaders to discuss strategic directions for AI Sovereignty as a key driver of Thailand’s digital economy, competitiveness, and national resilience.

The seminar was formally inaugurated by Dr. Chomparee Chompurat, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and welcomed by Khun Kulit Sombatsiri, Chairperson of the Big Data Institute Board. The opening remarks underscored AI’s role as a strategic national infrastructure. Key speakers included Prof. Dr. Tiranee Achalakul, President, BDI, Gaurav Modi, EY ASEAN and Singapore Consulting Leader, Nutthapong Chuaybumrung, Chief Technology Officer, Siam AI Corporation Co., Ltd., Yabodee Chittikuladilok, Chief Data Officer, DataX, and Dr. Monchai Lertsutthiwong, Deputy Managing Director, Head of AI Research and Development, Kasikorn Labs (KBTG).

In addition, Dr. Kunat Pipatanakul, Principal Research Scientist, DataX joined the panel discussion, sharing in-depth insights and practical experiences, which was moderated by Pajaree Saengcum, Partner and EY Thailand Consulting Leader. The seminar attracted over 100 participants from the public and private sectors, and concluded with closing remarks by Ratana Jala, Country Managing Partner, EY Thailand.

The seminar reflected strong collaboration between the public and private sectors in shaping Thailand’s AI direction, with speakers highlighting the following key points:

1. Sovereign AI is a national priority, enabling Thailand to develop, govern, and utilize AI independently in a secure and context‑appropriate manner.
2. Thailand must strengthen its own AI capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign technologies to build sustainable strategic advantage.
3. Thailand can control and own its AI through three key strategies: classify before building, deploy a sovereign inference layer, and build the data boundary.

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