PUBLISHED: 24 Jan 2025 at 05 :07
Google is building a new sky data center in Chon Buri as it plans to expand its presence in Thailand, according to Google’s president and chief investment officer Ruth Porat.
Ms Porat met with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum ( WEF ) in Davos on Wednesday.
The Google main professional thanked the Thai government for supporting its plan to develop a sky data center in Chon Buri, which is under construction and will be ready to work in about two years.
She said Google will retain its support for Thai government institutions, including the Ministry of Education, with which the software giant has signed a memorandum of understanding on modern skills instruction.
Google is likewise committed to supporting Thai smaller- and medium-sized businesses by providing them with mentoring programs, she said.
This is evidence of Google’s willpower to sustain its appearance in Thailand, she said.
Ms Paetongtarn told Ms Porat she hoped Google would consider choosing Thailand as its principal manufacturing base for the company’s online products, saying the government is ready to help Google’s development in Thailand.
Later the same day, the PM held talks with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, during which the latter congratulated her for Thailand’s success in securing a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association ( EFTA ).
The Thai-EFTA FTA may play a vital role in expanding business between Thailand and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland by reducing trade restrictions such as taxes, said the European leader. Switzerland is Thailand’s second-largest business partner in Europe, she noted.
Both officials also discussed the possibility of a mutual visa-free partnership and Switzerland’s aid for Thailand’s natural change.
Yesterday, Ms Paetongtarn witnessed the formal signing of the Thai-European Free Trade Association ( EFTA ) free-trade agreement.
During the trip to Davos, Ms Paetongtarn and Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa also held discussions with the chief adviser to the Bangladesh government, Muhammad Yunus, and Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, where she stressed Thailand’s commitment to boosting trade and investment.
She also expressed Thailand’s determination to conclude the Thai-European Union FTA later this year and requested Sweden’s support for this plan.
Thailand also expects to commence FTA negotiations with Bangladesh and is looking forward to hosting the 6th BIMSTEC Summit on April 4 before handing over the chairmanship of the summit to Bangladesh, said the PM.
Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan also told a panel discussion on Tuesday that Thailand is ready to welcome all investments in AI.