FishAI app in hot water over poor performance

The Fisheries Department’s chief has been invited to explain the transparency, cost-effectiveness and performance of the Thailand FishAI application today, following mounting complaints over its limited functionality.

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Watcharaphol Khaokham said he invited Thitiporn Laoprasert, director general, to provide a full explanation of the project, particularly its 9.1-million-baht budget and the hiring of a private developer.

The application was developed as part of a research and development initiative by the department, but it is coming under increasing scrutiny, with many questioning its transparency and whether the investment represents value for money.

Critics noted that the application can currently identify only 52 species of fish, despite the department’s claim that it would be able to draw on a database of more than 2,000 aquatic species.

Further concerns have been raised about the private firm contracted to develop the app, which has reportedly been awarded more than 53 projects by the Department of Fisheries in the past.

The deputy minister noted that the project had been initiated under a previous administration and that he has overseen the department for less than 30 days.

If any irregularities or signs of non-transparency are found, a fact-finding committee will be set up to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure proper use of state funds, he said.

Meanwhile, Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, a People’s party MP, has called on the department to clarify key technical and financial details, including the terms of reference (TOR) and the required accuracy rate for the AI system to pass evaluation.

Pawoot also urged the department to explain why it chose to build a new system instead of adopting existing global API-based technologies, which could have reduced costs and allowed funds to be used more efficiently elsewhere.