Science, AI key to digital hub drive

World Bank, tech experts point to priority areas

- SUCHIT LEESA-NGUANSUK

Thailand should invest more in science education and research, while broadening its adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) to gain an advantage in its quest to become a digital hub in Southeast Asia, according to tech experts and the World Bank.

Pathom Indarodom, director of the Digital Council of Thailand (DCT), said Thailand's 2024 IMD competitiveness ranking of 37th out of 67 countries indicates it lags regional peers China, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam in crucial areas such as knowledge, technology infrastructure, and future readiness.

While Thailand boasts strengths in high-tech exports with the 11th ranking, and 8th for telecommunication investment/internet speed, the challenge lies in leveraging these for creating innovation and scaling businesses, Mr Pathom said at a recent World Bank forum on its Thailand Economic Monitor.

He said that in terms of education, Thailand's annual computer science and engineering graduates are 20,000 fewer than the industry demands.

In addition, the country regularly reports low student scores on the Program for International Student Assessment (Pisa) tests.

No government has tried to fix the problem at its root, even though the country needs more teachers to inspire high school students to learn more in the fields of science and mathematics, said Mr Pathom.

The DCT says that moving towards an AI transformation requires significant investment in education and research, coupled with building strong public-private-academic sector partnerships to deliver real outcomes.