Thailand Becomes Major Hub for Data Centers and Cloud Services

[webfact]

 

Thailand continues to emerge as a strategic hub for investment in data centres and cloud services, driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital services in the region.

 

Board of Investment (BOI) Secretary General, Narit Therdsteerasukdi, highlighted that 37 projects worth 98.539 billion baht have already been approved for investment in data centres and cloud services. These projects are predominantly located in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Chonburi, and Rayong.

 

Leading global companies have made significant investments in establishing data centres in Thailand. Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced an investment of over 200 billion baht to build data centres in Thailand by 2037. In the first phase, AWS has already invested over 25 billion baht to create three data centres.

 

Other notable investments include Australia’s NextDC with 13.7 billion baht, Singapore’s STT GDC with 4.5 billion baht, and Singapore’s Evolution-Data Center with 4 billion baht. The United States’ Supernap (Switch) has invested 3 billion baht, Japan’s Telehouse 2.7 billion baht, and Hong Kong’s One Asia 2 billion baht.

 

Moreover, global tech giants like Google and Microsoft have announced plans to invest in data centres in Thailand and are currently in discussions with the BOI and the prime minister’s team. The cloud service sector also sees substantial investments from leading companies. Alibaba Cloud has invested over 4 billion baht, while Huawei Technologies has invested over 3 billion baht. High-potential Thai companies, such as True Internet Data Center, Internet Thailand, and GSA (a joint venture between Gulf, Singtel, and AIS), are also investing significantly.

 

**Thailand’s Attractiveness**

 

Thailand’s attractiveness as an investment destination for data centres and cloud services is driven by five key advantages:

 

1. Strategic Location: Positioned centrally, Thailand offers excellent connectivity to other ASEAN countries.

2. High Security and Low Natural Disaster Risk: Data centres require stability, and Thailand provides secure, low-risk conditions with international standard digital regulations.

3. High-Quality Infrastructure: The country has reliable electricity systems and potential for clean energy procurement, essential for data centre investments. It also ranks among the top ten globally for high-speed Internet and has the most extensive 5G network coverage in ASEAN.

4. Expanding Domestic Market: The market is growing due to digital transformation, the government’s Cloud First Policy, and high internet penetration.

5. Attractive Incentives: BOI offers compelling incentives, a critical factor for global technology companies.

Narit stated, “Thailand’s strategic location, robust infrastructure, and supportive government policies make it an ideal destination for data centres and cloud services.”

 

These factors position Thailand as a prominent and appealing market for global technology investments, underscoring its potential to become a key player in the regional digital economy, reported Khaosod.

 

Picture courtesy: NEN

 

-- 2024-07-02

 

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[JoePai]

And Malaysia ? 

[Gottfrid]

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand continues to emerge as a strategic hub for investment in data centres and cloud services, driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital services in the region.

That, actually does not mean they are on the way becoming a hub. It´s an expression for a country racing to keep up with changing times.

[lordgrinz]

Holy Cow! Another "Hub" in Thailand, time to celebrate!

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

That, actually does not mean they are on the way becoming a hub. It´s an expression for a country racing to keep up with changing times.

It actually does, Thailand will have availability zones for Azure, Google, Alibaba and AWS. This is direct competition for Singapore. 

[Gottfrid]

45 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

It actually does, Thailand will have availability zones for Azure, Google, Alibaba and AWS. This is direct competition for Singapore. 

Oki doki! Here you have the availability zones existing for each cloud service. NOT only Singapore!

 

1. Alibaba Cloud:

   • In the Asia Pacific region, Alibaba Cloud operates 9 regions with 18 availability zones. These availability zones are located in:
     • Sydney, Australia
     • Mumbai, India
     • Jakarta, Indonesia
     • Tokyo, Japan
     • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
     • Manila, Philippines
     • Singapore
     • Seoul, South Korea
     • Bangkok, Thailand¹.

1. AWS (Amazon Web Services):

   • AWS has multiple availability zones across Asia, including regions in:
     • Singapore (3 availability zones)
     • Mumbai, India (2 availability zones)
     • Tokyo, Japan (3 availability zones)
     • Seoul, South Korea (1 availability zone)
     • Beijing, China (12 availability zones)
     • Shanghai, China (11 availability zones)
     • Hong Kong, China (3 availability zones)
   • And two more........

1. Azure (Microsoft Azure):

   • Azure also provides availability zones in several Asian countries, including:
     • Singapore (3 availability zones)
     • Mumbai, India (2 availability zones)
     • Tokyo, Japan (3 availability zones)
     • Seoul, South Korea (1 availability zone)
   • And 3 more........

And this is GCP
To meet growing demand for cloud services in Asia Pacific, we are excited to announce our plans to bring three new Google Cloud regions to Malaysia, Thailand, and New Zealand
When they launch, these new regions will join our 34 cloud regions currently in operation around the world — 11 of which are located in Asia Pacific.

In the Asia Pacific region, Google Cloud operates or plans to have 14 regions with 42 availability zones. These strategically distributed zones allow users to deploy resources close to their customers, reducing latency and improving performance. If you need more details about specific regions or zones, feel free to ask! 😊


You still don´t think they have some catching up to do? You know, next time, check your facts first.

 

[NativeBob]

they are such successful "cloud hub" that CAT Telecom went belly up.
Bang Rak data center lost most of its clients due to poor maintenance, extra-orbital prices and zero responsibilities. It is more than half-empty now

[Peterphuket]

You don't have to be happy about that, they consume a huge amount of water to cool with the result that it is quite possible that local residents will run out of water or at least short of it.

[john donson]

hub hub... solar powered ?  isn't it extreme hot to have a datacenter ? who cares, right ? money and profits

 

amazon, do they even deliver in TH ?

[NativeBob]

29 minutes ago, john donson said:

isn't it extreme hot to have a datacenter ?

Yes, back than (2006-) they built very good infrastructure at that building. One floor was dedicated only for recreational activities of CAT personnel - fitness, gym, golf simulator and even sauna 

That tall building in the Chao Praya bank, near Assumption and some cathedral. 

[Purdey]

Another industry that is not human resources driven. Educating the youth might create more jobs in technical areas.

Since when is Thailand at the centre of ASEAN? Every major country is southeast of Thailand. Jakarta is much more central than Bangkok.

Thailand provides secure, low-risk conditions with international standard digital regulations, does it? Didn't a big bomb just go off in Yala?

The market is growing? Really?

 

[NativeBob]

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

Educating the youth might create more jobs in technical areas.

I hate to refrain again and again, but Thai technical education is kaja-googoo. 

Visit to Thammassat University Faculty of Science was just like a walk in Fallout game - everything abandoned, empty classes, not a living soul.

No, it was not on weekend or at night. About 10AM.

[MalcolmB]

7 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

That, actually does not mean they are on the way becoming a hub. It´s an expression for a country racing to keep up with changing times.

BS

You better read it again. 

[steven100]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Google and Microsoft have announced plans to invest in data centres in Thailand and are currently in discussions with the BOI and the prime minister’s team

 

but do they get Tom Yum soup & rice at lunch time

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

BS

You better read it again. 

Maybe you should read my other posts in this thread, and even you will have better information. If you can understand what you read, that will say. After that, you know it is you that holds the cup of BS.

[Chris Daley]

Next step.  Wifi in schools.

[NativeBob]

Just now, Chris Daley said:

Next step.  Wifi in schools.

and even further step - tablet to each and every student. 

so sorry for teachers back than. I mean real teachers, thais.

[Maitdjai]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

“Thailand’s strategic location, robust infrastructure, and supportive government policies make it an ideal destination for data centres and cloud services.”

 

Lol. Another Christmas wishlist.
I already can imagine truckloads of "blue ink" signed photocopies, robust power failures, and bursting clouds.
All 5 topics remind me of a "Beatles" song, about "nowhere plans".
Hubs and key player roles again, and again. Not even one was achieved in recent times.
Those only "key player roles", or "hubs" they have (that fell into their lap), are destroyed by the inability to maintain, and the greed, of self-appointed clowns.
 

[Maitdjai]

10 hours ago, JoePai said:

And Malaysia ? 

Malaysia plays in another league, to be polite.
TiT is on its way to get the taillight of SEA. Only the SET is number one. But in losses.
So much about the "globally appealing" hub for investment.

[Dogmatix]

They forgot to mention the attraction of the high level of education and English language ability in Thailand compared to Malaysia.  555