Sigve Brekke, Executive Chairman of Telecom and Digital Business Group, CP Group and Group CEO of True Corporation, asserted that Thailand is at a decisive inflection point in the global digital race, possessing the fundamental readiness to transition into a leadership position within ASEAN. Speaking at The Standard Economic Forum 2025, Sigve introduced a “3Ps Blueprint”—focusing on Policy, People, and Partnership—as the strategy needed to overcome the current “Duality Gap” and fully harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) to redefine the nation’s economic future.
From Electricity to Intelligence: Technology is the Economy
Sigve began by drawing parallels between the dawn of electricity in the 1880s and the current AI boom, noting that disruptive technologies quietly emerge before fundamentally reshaping industries.
“The birth of electricity accelerated the Industrial Revolution… And now, AI is about to do the same,” he stated.
He highlighted that technology is no longer a supporting function but “the economy itself.” This shift, combined with economic uncertainty and changing consumption patterns, fuels the rise of Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS), where ownership is replaced by subscription models powered by predictive systems.
According to the World Economic Forum, digital technologies currently account for about 15.5% of the global economy, with an estimated 70% of new value creation over the next decade set to be fueled by digitally enabled business models.
All Set to Jumpstart: Thailand’s Strong Digital Foundation
Referencing the IMD’s World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2025, Sigve affirmed Thailand’s strong foundation and future readiness:
- Global Readiness: Thailand ranks No. 8 globally for telecom sector investment and internet bandwidth speed.
- Infrastructure: Thanks to the True Corporation amalgamation, Thailand completed ASEAN’s largest network modernization, achieving 99% 4G and 94% 5G coverage nationwide.
- Regional Hub Potential: Due to reliable energy and strategic centrality, Thailand is well-positioned to challenge Malaysia and become a regional data centre hub.
The Duality Gap: Consumer-Led vs. Enterprise Lag
Despite robust infrastructure, Thailand faces a significant “Duality Gap” between high individual adoption of digital tools and slow enterprise transformation.
- High Consumer Adoption: Thai consumers are among the fastest adopters in ASEAN. E-commerce is growing 19% annually (nearly double the ASEAN average). Fintech adoption has reached 50%, and digital payments are projected to exceed USD 18.6 billion by 2025. Furthermore, about 75% of Thais have experimented with generative AI tools like ChatGPT.
- Enterprise and Startup Lag: Core industries like manufacturing and agriculture have yet to embed AI deeply. The startup ecosystem mirrors this vulnerability; the OECD’s Startup Asia Report showed Thai startups attracted only 4% of ASEAN venture capital (VC) between 2021 and 2023, compared to Singapore’s 40%. Thailand has only five unicorns, significantly trailing Singapore (over 20) and Indonesia (10).
“The challenge is not the lack of ideas, but the lack of investment and scaling capability,” Sigve observed.
The 3Ps Blueprint to Seize Digital Leadership
To quickly harness the AI wave and seize the “Digital Crown,” Sigve stressed the need for an upheaval across three critical areas:
- Policy: Government must act as an enabler, not just a regulator. Policy reform must encourage innovation and capital flow to close the investment gap (Thailand averaged only 34 venture-backed startup deals annually over the last six years, versus 500+ in Singapore). Policy must promote:
- Equitable digital access for all citizens.
- Ethical and transparent AI governance.
- An entrepreneurial environment that rewards innovators.
- People: As the World Economic Forum projects 170 million new AI-driven jobs globally by 2030, Thailand must prioritize inclusive digital upskilling, develop AI leaders, and nurture a culture of human–AI collaboration. “The goal is not to compete against AI, but to work with it,” he emphasized.
- Partnership: With Thailand investing only about 1% of its GDP in R&D (half the level of innovation-driven economies), public–private partnerships, incentives for global R&D collaboration, and talent exchange across ASEAN are crucial to bridge the gap and build world-class human capital.
Sigve concluded by stressing that AI must be assistive, inclusive, and collaborative, democratizing knowledge and productivity in the 21st century.
“The race has already begun. It’s not about catching up, it’s about leading. And Thailand is ready,” he concluded.
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