KUALA LUMPUR - Nearly 8.7 million workers in Thailand could be affected by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), according to the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).
NESDC secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan said the estimate was based on an occupational risk assessment model and labour force data from the fourth quarter of 2025.
The study found that about 21.8% of Thailand’s 40.1 million workers could face changes to their jobs due to AI technologies.
Danucha said some occupations will inevitably be affected as AI becomes more widely used across industries.
He said the government has introduced upskilling and reskilling programmes to help workers adapt to changing job requirements.
Universities have also revised their academic programmes to better prepare graduates for an AI-driven job market.
Thailand’s unemployment rate rose to 0.94% in the first quarter of 2026, representing about 390,000 people.
The figure was 9.9% higher compared with the same period last year.
Despite the increase in unemployment, total employment grew by 4.6%, supported by stronger performance in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.
The wholesale and retail trade sector recorded the strongest job growth, followed by transportation, warehousing and manufacturing.
Average monthly wages, however, fell by 0.6% to 16,145 baht per worker.
Household debt rose slightly to 16.4 trillion baht in the fourth quarter of 2025, equivalent to 86.7% of gross domestic product (GDP).
Data from the National Credit Bureau showed that non-performing personal loans overdue by more than 90 days increased to 1.31 trillion baht, or 9.59% of total loans.
Danucha said rising household debt was largely driven by consumer spending habits rather than financial necessity.
“We should avoid taking on debt at this time, given the economic constraints and uncertainties ahead,” he said.
He also cautioned that the growth of virtual banks should be monitored closely due to concerns over rising debt levels.
Danucha pointed to experiences in China and the Philippines, where some digital lending users were found to have accumulated debt more easily.
Meanwhile, Artificial Intelligence Entrepreneurs Association of Thailand president Charnwit Boonchuay said the projection that AI could affect up to nine million jobs was realistic and aligned with global trends.
He said advances in AI were increasingly automating routine tasks while improving business efficiency.
Charnwit said Thailand could not rely solely on large companies to absorb workers displaced by technological change.
He said traditional sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture were also unlikely to create enough jobs to offset the impact.
Instead, he urged the country to encourage the growth of micro-entrepreneurs who can use AI tools to build small businesses.
“AI is dramatically lowering barriers to entry, allowing small businesses run by just one or two people to generate income beyond that of traditional full-time employment,” he said.
Charnwit said the government should consider providing free AI infrastructure, including AI inference servers, to help individuals learn and develop AI-based businesses.
He said the approach would be similar to technology companies that offer free cloud services to startups.
According to Charnwit, building AI-powered businesses does not always require advanced technical expertise because many AI tools can assist with coding and other specialised tasks.
He said success in the AI economy depends more on adaptability, continuous learning and personal interest.
For workers aged 45 and above, Charnwit said experience, industry knowledge and interpersonal skills remain valuable strengths.
He added that older workers could use AI to expand their expertise, collaborate with younger professionals or move into advisory and consulting roles.
Some may also find opportunities in emerging fields such as training AI systems using professional knowledge gained from years of work experience
