Bangkok,September 14 (AseanAll) — On September 14, 2026, at the Thai Government House, Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul welcomed Tony Blair, former three-term Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), to exchange views on enhancing Thailand’s economy and competitiveness, particularly through the development of future industries, digital technology, and AI. They also discussed leveraging of TBI experiences and expertise to support the Thai Government’s key policy implementation toward tangible results.
The Thai Prime Minister expressed pleasure at the return visit of Sir Tony Blair to Thailand, and emphasized that the country is undergoing a significant period of transition. The Thai Government strives to restructure the economy and build new engines of growth to enhance competitiveness and accommodate global economic changes. Focuses are made on high‑value and future industries, i.e., the digital economy and AI, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy, while public sector reform, aiming at greater efficiency, agility, and responsiveness to change, is undertaken in parallel.
The Thai Prime Minister was of the view that Tony Blair’s experiences, gained from serving 3 terms as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and through the operation of TBI with governments worldwide, can be of great benefit to Thailand during this transition. In particular, his insights can help link economic strategies with technology, investment, and public sector capacity‑building, thereby, fostering long‑term growth and strengthening the nation’s competitiveness.
The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is a non‑profit organization that serves as a practical advisory partner to governments and national leaders in determining strategies and implementing policies toward tangible outcomes. Its core mission is to help countries undergo technological transformation and national administration in the AI era. This is in line with the Thai Government’s goal of ensuring that key policies are translated into action and deliver measurable results.
Tony Blair shared his perspectives on priority areas Thailand should accelerate in order to enhance competitiveness and create opportunities in the modern economy. Discussions also focused on the cooperation between Thailand and TBI, particularly in attracting investment in AI, semiconductors, and advanced industries; leveraging AI to increase productivity and create new skills and income for the people; and enhancing public sector efficiency through e‑Government and AI Governance.
The Thai Prime Minister also mentioned Thailand’s goal to attain full membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by 2028 with the expectation to elevate national standards and enhance competitiveness. He was also keen to learn how TBI could support Thailand, especially in advancing the green transition and the AI and digital transition. The Prime Minister proposed that discussions be held at the official level between Thailand’s OECD accession coordinators and the TBI team to identify areas of cooperation in this regard.
On AI development, the Thai Government commits to accelerate the country’s preparedness in regulation, infrastructure, workforce skills, and technology application for utmost economic benefit. Thailand is currently reviewing regulations and criteria for Data Center investment to ensure maximum economic gains while also addressing environmental impacts.
On Data Centers, Tony Blair emphasized the importance of Thailand being able to take part in data ownership and to build upon such data to develop applications tailored to the Thai context, which will notably promote the growth of Thai startups. The Prime Minister mentioned his meeting with Canva that took place during the recent visit to Australia. The fact that there are so many Thai professionals being employed at the company reflects strong potential of Thai talent. Both sides agreed that technology and capabilities of the Thai workforce provide significant opportunities for further development.
With regard to Thailand’s energy challenges and energy transition, Sir Tony Blair agreed with the approaches currently being pursued by the country, including solar rooftops. According to the former UK Prime Minister, aside from meeting the energy needs, energy technologies can also be used for leveraging in international trade negotiations. Amid global conflict and uncertainty, Thailand can appropriately position itself as a trusted partner and an integral part of the global supply chain.
Tony Blair agreed with the Prime Minister’s remark on Thai people’s potential and their aspiration to advance AI development. Demand for new technologies is rising, and even governments must adopt technologies to enhance their capacity in monitoring and managing data in an effective manner.
In conclusion, the Thai Prime Minister thanked Tony Blair for sharing valuable insights and experiences, and emphasized Thailand’s intention to build upon this exchange of views toward concrete cooperation, especially in enhancing economy and competitiveness, advancing AI and the digital transition, addressing climate and energy transition, and supporting the OECD accession process. He also proposed designating official coordinators to engage with TBI in detailed discussions and follow‑ups. Sir Tony Blair expressed his readiness to provide information and advices to the Thai Government in driving forward these areas of cooperation.
