Thailand's national AI plan has improved the country's global AI readiness ranking from ~60th to 34th, but a critical weakness persists: Thailand remains primarily an AI "user" rather than a "developer." Despite 2 billion baht in R&D investment (2022–2025) across 415 projects, most funding goes toward purchasing ready-made technology and infrastructure rather than domestic innovation. Only ~20% of organizations have operationalized AI as of 2024. The Phase 2 strategy (2028–2032) must address sectoral gaps—finance and logistics are thriving, but agriculture and tourism (major GDP contributors) lack the data infrastructure and tech-savvy workforce needed. Key initiatives include scaling AI education (2,000+ bootcamp graduates/year), developing ThaiLLM for government data security, and healthcare AI—but sustained shift from consumption to creation is essential.