Equinix invests $500 million in Thai data centres

US-based cloud service provider Equinix has announced it is investing US$500 million in data centre development in Thailand over 10 years to serve growing demand from customers in CLMVT, says the Board of Investment (BoI).
CLMVT refers to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand, which are all located in the greater Mekong subregion.
“Thailand is ready to become a connection hub of digital businesses in CLMVT, which has a population of more than 250 million,” said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary-general of the BoI.
He said Equinix chose Thailand for a new data centre because of the digital transformation of several local businesses, the growth of artificial intelligence technology and the state’s cloud policy, which promotes the use of cloud services and attracts investment from foreign cloud service providers.
Digital infrastructure and high internet penetration rates in the country also support the development of data centres.
5G wireless technology is available here, and up to 85% of the Thai population uses the internet.
“The Equinix investment will lead to opportunities for local businesses to create new products and services, supporting the growth of industries, including manufacturing, finance, retail and tourism,” said Mr Narit.
Equinix provides co-location services for businesses to rent physical space within a data centre facility to house their own IT equipment, including storage systems.
The company operates 260 data centres in 72 countries.
“We expect the expansion of Equinix’s business into Thailand to further strengthen our digital infrastructure,” Mr Narit said.
Equinix is among the data centre and cloud service providers who have applied for investment incentives offered by the BoI.
Some 47 project proposals worth 173 billion baht have been submitted to the board.