“Prime Minister Paethongtarn” thanks Google for announcing an investment in Thailand of over 35 billion baht, and pushing for the first Data Center in Thailand, confident that Thailand is ready to be the center of Google, driving growth in Thailand and the ASEAN region.
At 5:00 p.m. in the Purple Room, Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House, Ms. Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet Company and Google, paid a courtesy call on Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister, on the occasion of her visit to Thailand to discuss the progress of the company’s investment projects in Thailand and cooperation for economic and digital social growth under the concept of Leave No Thai Behind.
Mrs. Ruth Porat thanked the Prime Minister by announcing an investment of 1 billion US dollars or approximately 35 billion baht in Thailand to build a Data Center and Cloud Region in Thailand, which is expected to create more than 14,000 jobs during 2025-2029 and create an economic value of approximately 4 bi
llion US dollars or approximately 140 billion baht by 2029.
The Prime Minister thanked Google for trusting in Thailand’s potential to support Google’s business operations and believed that today’s discussion would further promote cooperation between the government and the company. The government is committed to driving closer cooperation in the long term and seeking ways to make cooperation progress and benefit all parties, especially in terms of the government’s Cloud First Policy, which focuses on efficient data management to improve government operations and services to the public to be more efficient, secure, and comprehensive, including AI technology, which the government is ready to provide useful knowledge to the public to create correct understanding and be consistent with Google’s approach and international standards.
The Prime Minister assured the company of the continuity of policies and the implementation of various projects, which the Prime Minister has continuously discussed with Mr. Settha Th
avisin, the former Prime Minister.
Mrs. Ruth Porat congratulated the Prime Minister on his new position and was very excited to visit Thailand this time. Google has been a long-time partner of Thailand and this visit is an opportunity to discuss the progress of cooperation between the two countries in the past, especially after the signing of the MOU, which has greatly supported cooperation between the two countries. Today, the company will officially announce its investment in Thailand and is confident that cooperation between the two countries will be even closer in the long term.
Then at 17.45 hrs., the Prime Minister hosted a reception for Ms. Ruth Porat and her team at Santi Maitri Building, Government House, and delivered a statement to congratulate the company on the official announcement of its investment in Thailand. He said that he was pleased to welcome Ms. Ruth Porat and the team from Google, a well-known company among Thais and widely used in daily life by using Google products such as Google S
earch, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Cloud. In addition, the government has a strong partnership with the company. In November 2023, Mr. Settha Thavisin, former Prime Minister, pushed for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Google and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to enhance Thailand’s digital competitiveness and accelerate the process of digital transformation by focusing on the cloud system. This is a solid foundation that has led to today’s work, and the Prime Minister is committed to continuing the cooperation to progress even further.
The Prime Minister said that strengthening the digital economy is one of the key goals to drive Thailand’s transformation. The government aims to build the necessary digital capabilities to support self-development, work efficiency and innovation, which will help reduce inequality and create more opportunities for everyone.
The Prime Minister also emphasized Thailand’s potential, which has a resilient digital infrastructure a
nd stable public utilities, along with maintaining technological neutrality, including Thailand’s continuous growth in digital demand due to its comprehensive 5G network and large digital user population.
The government will continue to expand clean energy initiatives and improve the regulatory landscape to foster a thriving digital ecosystem. The government is actively working to establish clean energy mechanisms, such as direct power purchase agreements (PPAs), and to expand new options to support greater access to clean energy. The government also recognizes the importance of creating a digital regulatory environment conducive to the development of the digital economy. Another key government initiative is the Cloud First Policy to enhance government digital services, data governance, and cybersecurity. At the same time, the government has revised relevant laws and regulations to align with international standards, build confidence in the business sector, and create an environment conducive to digital inno
vation.
The Prime Minister welcomed Google’s close collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI) to explore the establishment of the first data center in Thailand, reflecting Google’s confidence in Thailand’s readiness in terms of both strong digital infrastructure and skilled workforce. The Prime Minister also encouraged Google to explore collaboration opportunities with educational institutions in Thailand to develop the digital skills of future workers and prepare for the rapidly evolving digital industry.
At the end, the Prime Minister confirmed that the government is committed to making Thailand a prosperous hub for Google to promote growth for Thai people and businesses both domestically and in the ASEAN region.
Source: Thai News Agency