Thailand approves $29 billion investment wave as data center demand surges
BANGKOK – Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) has approved six major projects worth a combined 958 billion baht, or approximately USD 29 billion, led by a large-scale data infrastructure expansion by TikTok System (Thailand) Co., Ltd., underscoring the country’s growing role as a regional hub for data centers, cloud services and AI-driven digital infrastructure. The approvals were made at a BOI Board meeting chaired by Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. The Board also approved a second batch of projects under the Thailand FastPass mechanism and discussed with energy agencies steps to strengthen electricity readiness and improve access to clean energy — two increasingly important factors in attracting large-scale digital and high-technology investment. Mr. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of the BOI, said the latest approvals reflect growing investor confidence in Thailand at a time when global companies are racing to expand digital infrastructure across Asia. “Amid continuing global volatility, investment in Thailand’s digital and advanced technology sectors continues to grow, reflecting investor confidence in the country’s potential as a regional technology hub,” Mr. Narit said. “For Thailand to capture this new investment cycle, we must be ready not only with investment incentives, but also with sufficient power, clean-energy options, skilled talent, deeper supply chains and a reliable facilitation system that allows projects to move quickly from approval to operation.” Of the six approved projects, three are in data center and data hosting services, with a combined investment value of 913 billion baht, or approximately USD 27 billion. The largest project is by TikTok System (Thailand) Co., Ltd., valued at 842 billion baht, or approximately USD 25 billion. The project will install additional servers and expand data storage and processing infrastructure across Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao Province, supporting rising demand for digital services and strengthening Thailand’s […]
