NXPO and TFGI Launch Regional Report, Shaping Thailand's Frontier Tech Governance Agenda

Bangkok, 19 March 2026 — Government officials, industry leaders, and policy researchers convened today for a high-level roundtable on "Governing Frontier Technologies in Southeast Asia", jointly organised by the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) and the Tech for Good Institute (TFGI).

The event marked the launch of the third edition of TFGI's annual report, The Evolution of Tech Governance in Southeast Asia (2026), which examines how governance frameworks are evolving across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The report outlines key policy priorities and emerging trends shaping the region's digital economy, followed by a focused conversation on Thailand's policy landscape.

"Digital governance across Southeast Asia increasingly seeks to enable innovation and competitiveness while managing digital sovereignty. These are not competing interests, but issues that go hand-in-hand. Governing technology by ensuring resilience, especially in times of external shocks, are key considerations for the region". Keith Detros, Programme Manager, Tech for Good Institute. "TFGI is grateful to NXPO for its partnership in exploring what that means for Thailand and for the region."

"NXPO is committed to strengthening Thailand's innovation ecosystem by supporting the development and adoption of emerging technologies, while ensuring appropriate governance frameworks are in place. Through continued collaboration with partners such as the Tech for Good Institute, we aim to advance balanced policy approaches that support innovation, build trust, and enhance the country's digital competitiveness," said Dr Karantarat Nakwa, Assistant to the President, NXPO.

Following the launch of the report, a roundtable discussion brought together experts from government, academia, and industry to discuss AI governance, data policy, and regional cooperation.

Key experts, including: Thaya Navanugraha, Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa); Apivadee Piyatumrong, Big Data Institute (BDI); Poomsiri Dumrongvute, Chulalongkorn University; Dr Saliltorn Thongmeensuk, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI); Jirawat Poomsrikaew, Thai Digital Platform Trade Association (TDPA), shared their perspectives on what policy directions for 2026.

On AI governance, participants noted that while a comprehensive law is still under development, existing legislation currently governs AI applications. These include frameworks on data protection, cybersecurity, electronic transactions, and sector-specific regulation. Pending the comprehensive law, participants emphasised the need for clearer guidance, alongside a shift towards a principles-based framework. In addition, discussion on risk classification approaches should be co-developed with industry, civil society, and technical experts. It is also important to ensure that sector-specific guidelines are considered, given that different sectors such as health, transport, and finance, for example, would face varying risks.

Digital sovereignty was also a key theme. Participants framed sovereignty as the capacity to govern, rather than necessarily owning, technological infrastructure. Given the limitations and constraints of developing the full technology stack nationally, the focus should be on governing access, setting terms with external providers, and building resilience. This approach would enable Thailand to benefit from innovation while reducing reliance on any single provider or stakeholder.

Discussions also highlighted gaps in foundational capabilities. While regulatory sandboxes are valued, their effectiveness is constrained by limited data sharing across government agencies. Key datasets remain siloed, limiting evidence-based policymaking and investment signalling. Establishing clear and secure data-sharing standards was identified as a priority. Participants further noted that emerging technologies often span multiple regulatory domains. Applications such as autonomous vehicles, AI-enabled drones, and agentic AI systems require coordination across ministries and legal frameworks. Stronger inter-agency and public-private coordination will be essential to support effective policy implementation.

Participants agreed that Thailand's primary governance priorities include improving regulatory clarity, strengthening coordination across agencies, and enhancing data sharing frameworks would go a long way in Thailand's journey towards governing frontier technologies.

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