Google invests USD $1 billion in Thailand's digital future

Google has announced a USD $1 billion investment to enhance its digital infrastructure in Thailand, focusing on the development of cloud and data centre facilities in Bangkok and Chonburi. The announcement was made at a ceremony held at Government House, attended by the Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google.

This substantial investment aligns with Google's broader strategy to meet the growing demand for cloud services within Southeast Asia and globally. The firm projected that this move could contribute USD $4 billion to Thailand's GDP by 2029 and support an average of 14,000 jobs annually from 2025 through 2029.

The first data centre will be situated in a WHA industrial estate in Chonburi's Eastern Economic Corridor, while the Google Cloud region will be located in Bangkok. Google's enhanced cloud and data centre infrastructure aims to serve the increasing requirements for its cloud capabilities and AI innovations, along with its widely-used digital services such as Search, Maps, and Google Workspace.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed optimism about Thailand's evolving role in the digital economy. "Thailand is fast becoming a digital hub in Southeast Asia, propelled by a talented workforce and investments in technology infrastructure from industry leaders like Google," she said. "The Royal Thai Government deeply appreciates Google's ongoing partnership to strengthen our digital economy, particularly its efforts in the past five years to train millions of Thais in critical digital skills, and its latest plans to equip even more citizens with the tools and knowledge needed for the jobs of tomorrow."

Ruth Porat emphasised Google's commitment to the region and the potential impacts of such investments. "Google's infrastructure investments in Thailand represent a major milestone in our commitment to expand opportunities for Thais in the digital age. These investments will empower Thai businesses, innovators, and communities to harness the power of cloud and AI technology. Google's commitment to making digital skills accessible to all helps drive economic growth and create a more inclusive and prosperous digital future for people and organisations across Thailand," she noted.

As part of its ongoing strategy, Google will continue to invest in AI skills development in Thailand, aiming to train an additional 150,000 Thais by 2026 in collaboration with local organisations. The company has outlined several key initiatives designed to support this goal, including the launch of the AI Essentials curriculum and the Gemini Academy AI skilling programme, which has already trained 20,000 educators since 2023.

Google is also working on making AI advancements equitable and culturally representative. The company is collaborating with local partners like Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology and KASIKORN Business-Technology Group to improve and open-source Thai language datasets for better training of large language models. This is part of Google's Project SEALD (Southeast Asian Languages in One Network Data), aimed at fostering a more inclusive AI ecosystem in the region.

This investment and the accompanying initiatives follow a collaboration agreement signed with the Royal Thai Government in November 2023. The agreement includes commitments to build digital infrastructure, support responsible AI adoption, and promote cloud-first policies, all in an effort to make digital skills more accessible to the Thai population.

Google's move comes in the context of its broader regional strategy, which includes established cloud regions in Singapore and Indonesia along with a recent expansion in Singapore. These investments reaffirm Google's dedication to enhancing digital competitiveness and resilience in Southeast Asia through robust, innovation-driven infrastructure.