Thailand should author Al models

The 2025 Global Human Development Report delivers a sobering message: the world is experiencing an unprecedented slowdown in human development, with traditional pathways to progress, now being stalled.

- NIAMH COLLIER SURACHAI SATHITKUNARAT

This stagnation comes on the cusp of an artificial intelligence revolution, dubbed the “new electricity” for the sheer breadth of its potential. Will Thailand seize the opportunity of an Al-powered renaissance, or slip towards a future of AI-deepened inequality?

Thailand has been in relative strength, ranking 76th out of 193 countries in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s annual Human Development Index. Its HDI value of 0.798 places the kingdom in the “High Human Development” category.

In terms of the country’s commitment to sustainability, on the measurement called the Planetary Pressures-Adjusted HDI, Thailand scores 0.726. This is the highest in Asean, and only slightly behind Japan and South Korea. Thailand also stands out on gender metrics: the HDI for women (0.807) is higher than for men (0.798), a rare HDI trend globally. Women in Thailand outperform men in life expectancy and expected years of schooling, though income and education gaps remain.

Thailand's progress, however, is eclipsed by persistent inequality. Thailand’s HDI score loses a stark 15% of its value when inequality is taken into consideration. The wealthiest 1% of deposit account holders in Thailand control nearly two-thirds of bank deposits. The top 5% of landowners hold 80% of all land. These statistics are compounded by an education gap. While students are expected to spend over 15 years in school, on average, the actual number of years is closer to nine, with many students exiting the system early due to economic hardship or other challenges.