GOOGLE plans to invest US$1bil (RM4.2bil) to build digital infrastructure in Thailand, including a new data centre, the US tech giant has announced, saying the move would support 14,000 jobs in the kingdom.
“These investments will empower Thai businesses, innovators, and communities to harness the power of cloud and AI technology,” Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Google and its parent company Alphabet, said.
The investment’s details were unveiled after a meeting in Bangkok between Porat and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who hailed the move as proof the country was becoming a major digital hub in South-East Asia.
The data centre will be located in Chonburi, a major industrial area southeast of Bangkok, while the cloud facilities will be in the capital itself.
Google’s expansion in Thailand will add US$4bil (RM16.7bil) to the kingdom’s GDP by 2029 and support 14,000 jobs between 2025 and 2029, the company said, citing a report from consultancy Deloitte.
Thailand’s Office of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission has said the digital economy could contribute as much as 30% of GDP by 2027.— AFP
