Google has announced plans to invest $1 billion in Thailand to develop digital infrastructure, including the construction of a new data center. The US tech giant says this investment will create 14,000 jobs in the country.
The new facilities, to be located in Bangkok and the industrial hub of Chonburi, aim to address the increasing demand for cloud computing in Southeast Asia, according to the company’s statement released on Monday.
This investment follows a similar announcement by Microsoft in May, where the company committed to building Thailand’s first data center region to enhance cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“These investments will empower Thai businesses, innovators, and communities to leverage the power of cloud and AI technology,” said Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Google and its parent company Alphabet.
The details of Google’s investment were revealed after a meeting in Bangkok between Porat and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who welcomed the development as a sign of Thailand’s rising status as a digital hub in Southeast Asia.
The data center will be situated in Chonburi, an industrial region southeast of Bangkok, while the cloud infrastructure will be based in the capital.
Google’s expansion is expected to contribute $4 billion to Thailand’s GDP by 2029 and generate 14,000 jobs from 2025 to 2029, according to a report by consultancy Deloitte, which Google cited.
This announcement comes a year after former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s visit to New York, where he sought investment from US tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Tesla.
Although Thailand is Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, its tech sector lags behind countries like Singapore and Indonesia. Historically reliant on manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism, Thailand’s economy has struggled to recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The government hopes that investments from companies like Google and Microsoft will help diversify and modernize the economy.
