Investment/Google

Chatrudee Theparat

PM on September 30 met Google president and the company’s investment of US$ 1 billion in Thailand was announced.

Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google, unveiled the investment plan during the discussion with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, along with the collaboration between the company and the Thai government on digital economic and social development.

Mrs Porat said the company will invest about US$ 1 billion to build a data center and cloud region in Thailand, which is expected to support an average of 14,000 jobs between 2025 and 2029 and expected to add approximately US$4 billion to Thailand's GDP by 2029.

“This was a good occasion to discuss progress of collaboration between the company and the Thai government. It was also timely for the company to officially announce its investment project in Thailand,” Mrs Porat said.

Ms Paetongtarn was pleased with Google’s support to the Cloud First Policy, which focuses on effective data management to streamline processes and establish effective e-government services with providing safer and more inclusive services to the Thai citizens. The government has made significant progress in advancing the “Cloud First Policy”.

Thailand is also actively fostering a favorable AI environment. The PM reaffirmed that the government would do utmost to create a favorable and conducive environment for Google’s continued investment and success.

This collaboration reflected Google’s confidence in Thailand and highlights the readiness of the country’s robust digital infrastructure and skilled workforce.

In addition, the PM encouraged Google to continue exploring collaboration opportunities with educational institutions in Thailand, enhancing future workforce’s digital skills and preparing them for the rapidly evolving digital industries.

Thai government has also forged strong partnership with the company. In November 2023, former PM Srettha Thavisin 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 digital transformation process, focusing on cloud system. The PM is committed to continuing and advancing this partnership.

“Strengthening digital economy is one of the key priorities for driving Thailand’s transformation. The government aims to empower every Thai citizen with the digital literacy needed to boost self-improvement, productivity, and innovation—thereby reducing inequalities and providing greater opportunities for all,” Ms Paetongtarn said.

The PM also emphasized that Thailand not only offers resilient digital infrastructure and stable utilities, but also upholds technological neutrality. The country’s continuous growth in digital demand is well supported by an extensive 5G network and a digitally active population.

Thailand will continue to expand clean energy initiatives and refining the regulatory landscape to foster a thriving digital ecosystem. The Thai government is actively working on establishing clean energy mechanisms, such as the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (Direct PPA) and expanding new sources which will provide investors with access to clean energy.

A conducive digital regulatory environment is also crucial for promoting the digital economy. One key initiative is “Cloud First Policy”, which will enhance government digital services, data governance, and cybersecurity by adopting flexible regulatory approaches suitable for the digital era.

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