Thailand's TH-AI Passport Registration Opens August 19
Thailand's TH-AI Passport registration system opens for testing August 19, with full launch on August 31, allowing citizens to verify identity via QR code and ThaiD app.
On August 14, a meeting of the Digital Economy Development Fund (DE Fund) management committee was held at the Ministry of Finance, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ek Niti Nitithanprasad. Digital Economy Minister Chaiyachon Chidchob subsequently revealed that the TH-AI Passport project will continue using DE Fund resources for fiscal year 2025, though funding for fiscal 2026 remains undecided pending evaluation of the first phase. The ministry has been ordered to provide detailed project specifications following criticism that earlier documentation lacked sufficient detail and scope. The DE Fund currently holds approximately 2 billion baht.
Regarding the project timeline, Chaiyachon stated that the Digital Economy Ministry has reviewed contract details sent back by the Office of the Attorney General and is ready to proceed. A project briefing is expected within one to two days. The system testing phase opens August 19, with an official launch on August 28 and full operational rollout on August 31, 2025. Citizens can register via a QR code provided by the ministry and verify their identity using the ThaiD application.
The staggered timeline is designed to reduce congestion and prevent system crashes. Public registration for system testing begins August 19, with full registration and operational access opening August 31, 2025. The programme caps eligible recipients at 5 million people with a pay-per-use payment model. When asked why he did not attend a parliamentary budget committee meeting chaired by opposition MP Ratchanok Srinok, Chaiyachon said he had delegated relevant officials to provide testimony and had not avoided the process.
