Democrat Party MP Challenges TH-AI Passport Project

On July 29, 2026, Kardee Leophairote, a list MP and deputy leader of the Democrat Party, initiated a public campaign to challenge the government's 'TH-AI Passport' project. According to a report by Khaosod Online, the campaign urges citizens to sign a petition to halt the project, which has an allocated budget of approximately 1.621 billion baht.

Kardee has publicly criticized the initiative, characterizing it as a form of 'legalized corruption.' She argues that the project is not cost-effective and claims that the proposed system is inferior to existing free alternatives. Through her social media channels, she is calling for greater transparency in the use of taxpayer funds, emphasizing that every baht spent on the project must be subject to public scrutiny and accountability.

For residents and travelers, this development highlights an ongoing political debate regarding the modernization of travel documentation in Thailand. While the project is currently under scrutiny, it remains to be confirmed whether the campaign will gain sufficient public support to influence government policy or if the project will proceed as planned. There have been no official announcements regarding changes to current passport issuance procedures or potential delays to the project's timeline. Interested parties are encouraged to monitor official government channels for updates on the status of the TH-AI Passport initiative.