Artificial Intelligence technology, or AI, is one of the cornerstones of national development, both in terms of reducing costs and increasing work efficiency. In addition, there is a need for AI technology to be applied in many disciplines. However, because artificial intelligence is a complex technology, Thailand still lacks many specialists to serve the needs of both the public, private and educational sectors. One of the first and most important pieces of information everyone need to understand is that “AI is here to help rather than to replace jobs” when we truly understand and utilize AI to its full potential.
Thammasat University realizes this importance and has established the Thammasat University Artificial Intelligence Initiative (TUAiI) in anticipation of meeting the world of the future that will soon be driven by AI technology. Moreover, Thammasat expects to promote the potential and pass the knowledge of artificial intelligence to Thai people to be as advanced as the world is at the present. Thammasat is aiming to use the AI center as an online learning hub, catering to the AI curriculum and workshop for Thammasat students, general public, and interested private organizations. There will be an exhibition zone, AI prototype display, activity area, basic – advance workshop space, and the space for personal practices and researches.
Thammasat is working on establishing the biggest AI center for the region. Initially, the project is funded by the Digital Economy fund with a total amount of 28 million baht, and the university is working on pitching to the interested private sector and related business in founding Thammasat AI center.
Thammasat AI Center of Thammasat University intends to become the country's AI ecosystem and a learning center for teachers and learning resources for the people. There will be a total of 5 teaching and learning courses: 1. Introduction of AI 2. Basic Machine Learning 3. Intermediate of AI 4. Advanced AI and 5. Applied AI, to push Thammasat University to become a fully-modeled AI institute.
Human resources are Thailand’s strong suit in AI development, and it will be enhanced even further after the government step up their game and establish the “National AI Consortium” with top educational institutions, private sectors, professional associations in the country.
This is the age and time of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a great opportunity for Thailand to step up as a leader in technology and innovation that will drive the country’s economy. Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) and 45 partners established the “National AI Consortium” for the first time in the country in the year 2020.
In order to enhance people’s awareness and knowledge on AI, the “AI for All” project is created and targeted in five different areas.
1. AI Thai Smart – a project aiming to educate the general public to learn and understand the basic knowledge about AI. This project is led by the King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi.
2. AI@School – a project aiming to teach about the foundation knowledge for AI development to teachers and high-school students. This project is led by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC).
3. Super AI Engineer – a project focusing on training the engineers, researchers, innovators, and AI start-up for business and industrial sectors. This project is led by the Artificial Intelligence Association of Thailand (AIAT) and Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University.
4. AI/Robotics for All – a project focusing on enhancing the awareness and understanding of robotics among innovators, engineers, researchers, and AI start-ups. This project is led by the Institute of Field Robotics (FIBO), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi.
5. SMART Agricultural Robot Contest 2020 – a contest for students to use robotic and AI technology to solve problems in the agricultural sector and other commercial usages in the future. This project is led by Kasetsart University and Thai Robotics Society.
For Super AI Engineer, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University together with the Artificial Intelligence Association of Thailand (AIAT), National Electronics and Computer Center Network, Artificial Intelligence Academic Institutions, the university network and more than 60 private sector organizations establish projects for innovators, engineers, researchers and AI startups. The key objective is to develop manpower and raise awareness of artificial intelligence technology that can support the transition of the economic and social sectors from the information technology era to the future artificial intelligence era and use this manpower in driving Thailand's economy and society to advance internationally.
Since 2017, TU has been taking part in the industry, preparing the country for new challenges of the future. “AI Center Thammasat University” is the project that TU take on creating an institute for honing AI skills, training innovators, engineers, researchers, Super AI Engineer, and small enterprises. TU is the pioneer that will pave the way for AI technology in Thailand and help the country keep up with the world. The government provides a budget to develop human resources hoping to increase its technology capability, creating a huge driving force for the country’s future development.
Prof. Dr. Thanaruk Theeramunkong, President of the Artificial Intelligence Association of Thailand and lecturer at SIIT, Thammasat University explained that this consortium aims to systematically develop the country and the society in many areas: general resources, human resources, and knowledge management. This consortium will be the “headquarter” that every organization can come to exchange knowledge, resources, and help one another in developing software. With the increasing technological demands from the government-private sectors, and educational field, AI professionals will be very much needed in the future,” said the AI association president. This partnership is a very first step and the most important yet in developing the human resources equipped with AI skills. They will soon become the change-makers that move the manufacturing industry and services to a brighter future.
Thammasat and other partners also signed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create “AI Academy Alliance, creating the curriculum and develop the digital knowledge as well as create a standard for AI skills. The consortium will closely support this project which is another milestone for the country’s development. Currently, there are 2,059 applicants to join the program, including students, company employees. Independent entrepreneurs, including the founders of start-up enterprises.
