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Team of experts deliver AI skills training for entrepreneurs in
U Thong District, Suphan Buri Province

Suphan Buri, May 31, 2024 – Microsoft Thailand helped enhance the capabilities of local community enterprises and entrepreneurs through AI skills training designed to drive the tourism industry under the “AI Skills for the AI-enabled Tourism Industry” program. This initiative is part of the ongoing efforts under the Memorandum of Understanding with the Thai government and a range of plans and partnerships previously announced during the recent visit of Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella to Thailand for the Microsoft Build: AI Day event.

The tourism industry remains a crucial driver of Thailand’s economic growth. This year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set its sights on achieving 3 trillion baht in tourism revenue, while data on Thailand’s GDP growth in the first quarter of the year shows that the tourism industry helped drive 11.8% growth in hospitality and food-related services as well as 9.4% in transportation and logistics. In response, Microsoft Thailand is focusing the first phase of its AI skilling plans on the tourism industry through the “AI Skills for the AI-enabled Tourism Industry” program, whose main goal is to improve essential skills and introduce ways to apply AI innovations such as Copilot and other technologies from Microsoft to support more efficient and productive work among tourism business operators – ultimately strengthening the tourism industry and accelerating its sustainable growth.

Supahrat Juramongkol, Microsoft Philanthropies Lead for ASEAN, said, “Microsoft believes in the power of technology to drive transformation and create opportunities for everyone through the AI skilling initiatives in the ASEAN region. For Thailand, the ‘AI Skills for the AI-enabled Tourism Industry’ program aims to unlock new possibilities for service and tourism businesses – starting with pilot activities in the ancient city of U Thong, where we have empowered businesses to overcome existing limitations and create better experiences for both Thai and international visitors. This includes leveraging AI tools to develop promotional materials that attract tourists, assisting in communication with international tourists, providing a creative spark for new ideas and experiences, or tailoring content to attract a more diverse range of potential visitors.”

For the first course of this project, Microsoft has partnered with the Kenan Foundation Asia and the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) to impart digital and AI skills to entrepreneurs in U Thong Subdistrict, U Thong District, Suphan Buri Province and support the growth of one of Thai tourism’s secondary cities. Content from the training will also be disseminated and expanded through Microsoft’s network of skill development partners across Thailand – including the Digital Economy Promotion Agency, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Digital Skills Development Institute, Department of Skill Development, Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Designated Areas For Sustainable Tourism Administration, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Professional Qualification Institute, United Nations Development Programme, and Marketing Association of Thailand. The goal is to provide comprehensive learning opportunities that help enhance the skills of 70,000 next-generation entrepreneurs operating in the tourism business of secondary cities across all five regions of Thailand.

Somjin Chankrabi, Manager of the Designated Area for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) in the ancient city of U Thong, added: “DASTA has been developing the ancient city of U Thong as a designated area for sustainable tourism since 2012, focusing on sustainable tourism development with the vision of creating a creative city for historical, cultural, and traditional lifestyle tourism. We are delighted that local entrepreneurs are receiving support from Microsoft to apply AI and other advanced technologies to benefit the tourism industry. We hope that the creativity of community enterprises and entrepreneurs can combine with the potential of AI to elevate U Thong’s prominence, creating opportunities for growth, employment, and income generation for the community as well as contributing to the country’s economic value.”

The program’s AI skills development course covers the basics of AI usage through Microsoft Copilot, image and content generation with AI tools such as Microsoft Designer and the video editing app Clipchamp, as well as creating websites and marketing documents with Sway. The course also provides guidance on applying these technologies across various situations and roles, ranging from business owners to frontline employees.

For more information and latest updates on the “AI Skills for the AI-enabled Tourism Industry” program, visit aka.ms/AIskills4Tourism. Additionally, course content can be accessed through Microsoft’s skilling partners across Thailand, including: