Brad Smith, Vice Chairman and President of Microsoft, met with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, at the Government House to announce a major investment plan valued at over $1 billion USD, approximately 36 billion baht, spanning 2026-2028. The goal is to advance cloud infrastructure and AI in Thailand, continuing the strategic partnership under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the Thai government in November 2023. This follows Satya Nadella's visit to Thailand in 2024 and subsequent plans for data center investment and upskilling over 2 million Thai people.
Collaboration among Microsoft, government agencies, representatives from various industries, educational sectors, and social organizations aims to enhance skills and capabilities of the Thai workforce to better meet current employer demands. It also opens opportunities for Thai workers to access skill certifications in various forms, along with specialized courses designed to meet the needs of Thailand's S-Curve industries. All sectors can thus drive innovation and advance missions under the Thailand 4.0 policy and national AI strategy.
The investment exceeding $1 billion will be allocated across three main pillars.
1. Infrastructure
The core of this investment is building Data Centers and Cloud Regions in Thailand. This will result in a hyperscale data center supporting services like Azure, AI Services, and Copilot, serving both public and private sector organizations. This enables direct AI operations within the country, reduces reliance on foreign entities, and mitigates data privacy and compliance risks. Emphasis will be on security standards and clean energy use, elevating Thailand's digital infrastructure to the level of developed nations.
2. Digital Trust & Sovereignty
Having data centers domestically gives Thailand digital sovereignty, allowing control over data location and access under Thai law. Microsoft will support legal frameworks and AI governance, establishing frameworks for responsible AI use, cybersecurity support, and developing solutions like TH2OECD on Azure OpenAI. This enhances analysis of Thai laws against OECD standards, facilitating faster and more accurate law amendments and supporting Thailand's goal to join the OECD.
3. People (AI Skills)
In education, Microsoft collaborates with the Ministry of Education to develop the National Digital Learning Platform (NDLP), accessible to over 600,000 secondary students. For the workforce, together with the Department of Skill Development, Microsoft offers over 280 AI courses in Thai through the DSD Online Training platform, targeting 150,000 additional certified workers. To date, 2 million Thais have been upskilled via programs like Microsoft Elevate.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that Thailand aims to become a key driver of the digital and AI economy in Asia. Achieving this requires building a strong foundation for the future under the national digital and AI strategic plan, enabling the Thai economy to seize opportunities from new S-Curve industries. It also involves empowering Thai people to fully benefit from advanced technologies. Microsoft's investment announcement is a crucial step toward this goal and reaffirms confidence in Thailand's future.
He added, "Cloud technology and AI play a vital role in driving economic growth and strengthening national competitiveness. Therefore, every country must have world-class technology and the knowledge to harness its benefits."
Brad Smith, Vice Chairman and President of Microsoft, said Microsoft is proud to support Thailand's vision of building a highly secure cloud and AI ecosystem combining trusted infrastructure, secure platforms, and essential skills. This will enable practical AI adoption to enhance competitiveness and create job opportunities.
Meanwhile, Thanawat Suthumpun, President of Microsoft Thailand and New Markets, noted that putting AI intelligence into the hands of every Thai will unlock opportunities for innovation and personalized growth. Whether individuals, SMEs, large enterprises, or government agencies, everyone can effect tangible change, improve operational efficiency, create new opportunities, and build competitive advantages for Thailand, paving the way toward a better society for all.
Follow the Facebook page: Thairath Money at this link -