PM meets GIP as $5B data centre investment flows to Thailand

Suphachai Chearavanont, CEO of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group), along with Adebayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and CEO of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at Government House on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The meeting focused on strategies to enhance Thailand’s data centre infrastructure.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn stated that the government’s goal is to position Thailand as the digital economy hub of ASEAN. Achieving this vision requires full-scale efforts, particularly in building infrastructure and attracting investment, especially in data centres and cloud services. 

She noted that Thailand has already seen significant investment from global tech leaders such as Google, Microsoft, and TikTok (ByteDance). Looking forward, the country aims to expand into other high-potential sectors, including clean energy and artificial intelligence (AI).

“This critical push for economic infrastructure development cannot be achieved by the government alone. It requires strong collaboration across all sectors, especially the private sector,” the Prime Minister said. “Today’s discussion marks a promising step forward in achieving our shared vision of making Thailand a digital economic hub in the region.”

Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikarn Wattanachan summarised the key points of the meeting, stating that the Prime Minister welcomed the collaboration between CP Group and GIP in the field of digital infrastructure, particularly data centres.

She expressed confidence that the partnership would help drive Thailand’s data infrastructure to new heights. The government, she affirmed, is committed to supporting such investments to ensure the country keeps pace with the demands of the modern digital world.

Suphachai expressed strong confidence in Thailand’s potential to become a leading digital and AI hub in Southeast Asia. He noted that the country continues to attract major investments from global tech companies. CP Group, he said, remains firmly committed to working with the Thai government and international partners like GIP to upgrade Thailand’s digital infrastructure in line with this strategic vision.

Ogunlesi introduced the company as a leading infrastructure investment firm under the BlackRock Group—one of the world’s largest providers of investment management, financial advisory, and risk management solutions.

Both GIP and BlackRock maintain a presence in Thailand and have formed partnerships with leading companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Ogunlesi reaffirmed GIP’s strong belief in Thailand’s potential to serve as a digital hub for the region.

During the meeting, both parties discussed strategies to advance Thailand’s data centre infrastructure. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra emphasised the government’s priority to develop digital infrastructure that supports national progress, particularly through investments in data centres, the promotion of renewable energy, and efforts to enhance global competitiveness. She highlighted ongoing collaborations with tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, and TikTok.

The Prime Minister expressed a desire to deepen cooperation with GIP, particularly in knowledge exchange, capacity building, and training programs for Thai talent. She also suggested exploring expanded collaboration with Thai universities in digital and technological fields. Ogunlesi welcomed the proposal and affirmed GIP’s readiness to fully support such efforts.

Sasikarn added that Ogunlesi praised the Thai government’s vision and policy direction, particularly the establishment of the National AI Committee aimed at propelling Thailand’s development in artificial intelligence.

He acknowledged Thailand’s advantageous position for data centre development, citing its robust infrastructure, strategic location, and pro-business environment, and noted that Thailand is “number one in the region” in GIP’s view.

As part of this visit, it was reported that GIP and BlackRock plan to collaborate with partners on a digital infrastructure investment initiative valued between US$3–5 billion (approximately THB105–175 billion). The investment will focus primarily on building high-performance data centres to support advanced technologies such as AI, big data, and cloud services.