The collaboration between Thailand’s Sirindhorn Vocational Training School and Japanese companies has proven to be highly effective in preventing former juvenile inmates from reoffending. The initiative, funded by a substantial grant from the Japanese government, has garnered positive results with no recidivism cases reported in recent years. Meanwhile, Japan is taking a different approach to attract AI investments by embracing a regulation-light strategy to position itself as a leading AI-friendly nation.
A vocational training facility for juvenile convicts in Thailand, supported by Japanese companies, has shown notable success in preventing recidivism among its former inmates. The Sirindhorn Vocational Training School, located on a 54,000-square-meter site in Nakhon Pathom province near Bangkok, was established in 1996 with approximately ¥1.95 billion (about $12.3 million) in grant aid from the Japanese government. The initiative has yielded positive outcomes, with no instances of former inmates reoffending within a year of leaving the facility in recent years. Support from Japanese firms includes providing training equipment, and experts from Japan’s Justice Ministry have contributed advice on construction and management through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In a separate development, Japan aims to attract AI investments by positioning itself as the “most AI-friendly country in the world” with a regulation-light approach. Unlike the European Union, which has passed the comprehensive AI Act to govern artificial intelligence, Japan’s AI Strategic Council is advocating for industry-led oversight to encourage innovation and investment.
