Thailand’s AI & IoT Leap: A Wake-Up Call for Indian Manufacturers

• Chinmay
• May 30, 2025
• Artificial Intelligence, Industrial IoT, News
• AI in manufacturing, AI policy Thailand, computer vision in manufacturing, factory data solutions, Indian MSME automation, Industrial IoT India, predictive maintenance, SAP AI Thailand, Shalaka Connected Devices, smart factories Southeast Asia, smart warehousing, Thailand 4.0
• 0 Comments

 While India debates adoption, Thailand has begun the transformation.

A new whitepaper from SAP, ETDA, and TDRI lays out Thailand’s aggressive AI-driven plan to rewire its manufacturing backbone — and it’s already underway.

The message is clear: Thailand is not waiting. With the Thailand 4.0 strategy, the country is moving beyond traditional manufacturing toward smart, high-tech, AI-powered industries.

“AI is not a tool — it’s a policy instrument now.”
— Dr. Chaichana Mitrpant, Executive Director, ETDA

Thailand’s roadmap includes:

• AI-powered predictive maintenance to cut downtime by 53%
• Computer vision to reduce defects by 50%
• AI-enabled safety systems cutting unsafe incidents by 90%
• Smart warehousing, real-time quality control, and logistics AI for 20–40% productivity boosts

Despite only 18% AI adoption today, Thai manufacturing is projected to jump 15% by 2030, thanks to government push, strong policy support, and public-private co-creation with global tech players like SAP and Huawei.

But the heart of this transformation isn’t just tech — it’s data.
Without reliable, real-time data from factory floors, AI fails.
That’s why Thailand is building the digital spine first — sensors, cloud, connectivity — and then applying AI.

Why Indian Manufacturers Should Pay Attention

Thailand is a major exporter to India in sectors like:

• Automotive parts
• Consumer electronics
• Machinery

If Thailand becomes cheaper, faster, and more flexible through AI — India’s import bill rises and local manufacturers fall behind. What’s worse? Thailand’s AI shift is not expensive tech — it’s a mindset shift powered by structured pilot projects, strong policy design, and phased implementation.

India has the talent.
India has the volume.
What we lack is execution speed and factory-grade data intelligence.

What Should Indian Factories Do?

Don’t start with AI. Start with IoT.

Before asking what model to run, ask:

“Can I see my factory in real-time, without asking a supervisor?”

• Industrial-grade IoT sensor deployment
• Machine data collection + gateway integration
• Cloud dashboards for machine health, energy, OEE
• Plug-and-play solutions for small and medium manufacturers

Why this matters:

Once your factory starts generating clean, structured data — AI becomes a tool, not a buzzword.

Final Thought

Thailand is planning a leap. Are we still counting steps?

The AI wave has left the lab.
It’s on the shop floor.
It’s optimizing processes.
It’s redefining competitiveness.

If Indian MSMEs want to compete globally — especially against rising neighbours like Thailand — the transformation must begin now.

The future won’t ask if you adopted AI.
It’ll ask how soon — and how well.