Nation Thailand
Thailand must balance AI push with 'Heartware' and nature, says Higher Education Minister
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Deputy PM Yodchanan Wongsawat tells Bangkok Business Summit that human capital, nature and regional collaboration must underpin AI-driven growth.
Key facts
- Thailand’s push to escape the middle-income trap must rest on people and nature as much as on artificial intelligence, the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Professor Dr
- The session, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre ahead of the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings, brought together Thai policymakers and international investors to discuss how the country can build a new economic engine
- The panel formed part of the Bangkok Business Summit 2026's broader public–private dialogue, which convened Thai government leaders, global development partners and foreign investors to chart a path towards high-income status ahead of the
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Summary
Thailand’s push to escape the middle-income trap must rest on people and nature as much as on artificial intelligence, the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Professor Dr Yodchanan Wongsawat, told delegates at the Bangkok Business Summit 2026 on Thursday.
Speaking in a fireside conversation with Professor Annie Koh under the "New Horizons: Future Industry, AgriFood and Human-Centric Economy" track, Dr Yodchanan argued that while the world races to adopt AI, Thailand's competitive edge will come from what he called "Heartware" —a combination of skilled people, scientific fundamentals and an economy rooted in nature.