Gulf Development and Singtel Group have formed a strategic partnership to develop new submarine cable links between Thailand and Singapore, with their first joint project expected to be operating by 2030.
The companies said the agreement will support rising regional demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data centres and digital services. It also supports Thailand's stated ambition to become a leading digital and AI economy in Southeast Asia.
The partnership combines Gulf's infrastructure development experience and expanding digital business portfolio with Singtel's submarine cable infrastructure and services operations.
First project will be the VTS Cable System
The first initiative will see the partners participate in the Vietnam-Thailand-Singapore, or VTS, Cable System. The subsea link is intended to strengthen Thailand's connection to Singapore, one of the region's main digital connectivity gateways.
Singtel Singapore and AIS, Gulf's Thai associate and Thailand's leading telecommunications operator, will contribute market knowledge, connectivity capabilities and customer reach to develop and commercialise the system.
The VTS Cable System is scheduled to be operational by 2030. Its capital requirements will be spread over several years.
Gulf and Singtel may also consider investments in terrestrial cable networks and further subsea cable systems in future.
Gulf chief executive Sarath Ratanavadi said the partnership was an important step in the company's digital infrastructure strategy.
"Together, we are creating a platform that strengthens submarine cable connectivity between Thailand and Singapore while supporting Thailand's ambition to become a leading digital and AI economy in Southeast Asia," he said. "With our complementary strengths, we aim to build critical infrastructure that enables digital growth and creates long-term value for the economies and communities we serve."
Longer-term implications for Thailand users
For foreigners living in Thailand, including remote workers, digital businesses and companies operating regional services, the project is principally a longer-term infrastructure development rather than an immediate change to home or mobile internet packages.
More international cable capacity and route diversity can help support the cloud platforms, data centres and online services used by businesses and consumers. However, the announcement includes no details on retail prices, service plans or customer availability.
Thailand has been attracting investment in data centres, cloud services and digital platforms, while demand for digital and AI infrastructure is accelerating. The companies said stronger international links will be important to that growth.
Singtel group chief executive Yuen Kuan Moon said Thailand and Singapore were "two of Southeast Asia's most important digital economies".
"Our partnership with Gulf brings together our expertise in digital infrastructure and submarine cable systems to meet the growing demand for cloud, AI, data centre and digital services," he said.
The companies said the deeper links would serve enterprises, cloud providers, hyperscalers and digital platforms seeking resilient, diverse and high-performance connectivity. The deal builds on Gulf and Singtel Group's existing telecommunications and data-centre collaboration in Thailand and could open further opportunities across Southeast Asia.
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13 September 2026
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