Parliamentary Panel Threatens Subpoena for Digital Minister Over Passport Project
A parliamentary budget committee threatened to subpoena Thailand's Digital Economy Minister over concerns about vague specifications and missing documents in the TH-AI Passport project, which is set to launch registration soon.
At 9:40 a.m. on 13 August 2025 at Parliament, Rukchonok Srinok, chair of the House Budget Committee, announced that the committee plans to scrutinize the TH-AI Passport project extensively, as registration is expected to begin shortly. The committee will question progress on contract amendments between the Digital Economy and Society Ministry and its partners, review project proposals, and examine outstanding document submissions that the ministry has not yet provided.
Rukchonok said the committee has a particular focus on the marketing component of the bid, concerned that vague requirements might lock in specifications unfairly. The terms require bidders to use top-five offline media in the country, but the committee found that competing firms have not specified which media company screens they will use—yet the ministry and its fund have scored them anyway. The committee also lacks scoring rubrics for AI, marketing, training, and call centre operations, and does not have meeting notes from the ministry fund related to the passport project.
When asked about Minister Chaiyachonok's absence, Rukchonok confirmed that word arrived this morning that he would not attend, citing unspecified duties, and that the Permanent Secretary would appear in his place. Rukchonok stressed that the minister has now declined four invitations to brief the committee in person, adding that if he fails to appear again and documents remain incomplete, she will discuss with the committee the need to invoke statutory power to compel his attendance.
