On 30 May 30 2024, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin inaugurated the AWS Summit in Bangkok, emphasizing the importance of cloud technology for Thailand's digital future. He highlighted Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) significant investment plan to establish a data centre in Thailand by 2037 worth over 190 billion baht.
The AWS Summit in Bangkok, part of the annual AWS Global Summit series, attracted over 2,500 participants, including technology experts, business leaders and investors. The event featured over 30 seminars and 29 technology exhibition booths, fostering knowledge exchange on cloud computing and other emerging technologies.
The summit featured presentations on emerging technologies and industry trends. By attending these sessions, tech professionals could gain valuable insights into the future direction of the tech industry, helping them to align their strategies and skills with market demands.
AWS’s substantial investment in Thailand’s tech infrastructure, including the planned data centre, signals a strong commitment to supporting local innovation and economic growth. For tech professionals, this means better resources, more job opportunities and a supportive environment for startups and tech ventures, fostering a robust and dynamic tech ecosystem in Thailand.
In his speech, Prime Minister Thavisin praised AWS, a leader in cloud computing, for recognizing Thailand’s technological readiness and potential for growth in the digital economy. He noted that many Thais are already engaged with the AWS ecosystem, showcasing their skills and knowledge.
The prime minister shared his own experiences with cloud technology, describing it as a revolutionary tool that reduces costs, speeds up the deployment of new workflows and better meets user needs. He emphasized how increased productivity leads to better services for customers.
The Government is committed to modernizing its systems, with a “Cloud First Policy” approved at the end of 2023. This policy aims to reduce IT investment costs by utilizing cloud services, improving communication and efficiency between the government and citizens, and lowering costs for the private sector.
“Cloud systems are now the backbone of many sectors, including banking, tourism, marketing and education,’ said Thavisin. He mentioned the growing use of Generative AI in various fields, including government operations, and stressed the necessity of a robust data centre and internet infrastructure to support these technologies.
The prime minister welcomed AWS’s plan to invest over 190 billion baht in a data centre by 2037. He expressed satisfaction that AWS had already invested 11.6 billion baht in Thailand last year and looked forward to the AWS Thailand Region being fully operational by early 2025. This investment, he said, not only provides a stable and secure cloud infrastructure, but also reflects AWS's confidence in Thailand's potential for economic growth.
Building a Digital Economy
Thavisin outlined government efforts to restructure industries and attract data centres, aiming to make Thailand a hub for the digital economy and technology. This includes fostering upstream investments in semiconductor production and downstream sectors, like smart electronics, as well as enhancing talent skills.
AWS has already trained over 50,000 Thais, with universities incorporating the AWS Academy into their curricula to boost digital literacy. The prime minister committed to supporting such win-win collaborations to elevate digital skills in Thailand and foster long-term economic growth.
AWS’s Commitment to Thailand
Watson Thiraphatphong, AWS Thailand country director, announced the upcoming launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (Bangkok) Region in early 2025. AWS plans to continue its significant investment in cloud services, AI and other emerging technologies in Thailand, ensuring safe and effective use by local personnel and organizations.
Prime Minister Settha expressed his optimism about the continued cooperation between AWS and Thailand, aiming to make Thailand a technology hub and achieve the vision of “Ignite Thailand”.
Photos Courtesy of AWS
Information provided by AWS
