Microsoft announced significant commitments to build new cloud and AI infrastructure in Thailand, provide AI skilling opportunities for over 100,000 people, and support the nation’s growing developer community.
The commitments build on Microsoft’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Royal Thai Government to envision the nation’s digital-first, AI-powered future.
Microsoft Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella made the announcement in front of approximately 2,000 developers and business and technology leaders at the Microsoft Build: AI Day in Bangkok on Wednesday. The event was also attended by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who delivered a special address.
“Our ‘Ignite Thailand’ vision for 2030 aims to achieve the goal of developing the country’s stature as a regional digital economy hub that significantly enhances our innovation and R&D capabilities while also strengthening our tech workforce,” said Prime Minister Thavisin. “Today’s announcement with Microsoft is a significant milestone in the journey of our ‘Ignite Thailand’ vision – one that promises new opportunities for growth, innovation, and prosperity for all Thais.”
“Thailand has an incredible opportunity to build a digital-first, AI-powered future,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “Our new datacenter region, along with the investments we are making in cloud and AI infrastructure, as well as AI skilling, build on our long-standing commitment to the country – and will help Thai organizations across the public and private sector drive new impact and growth.”
Dhanawat Suthumpun, Managing Director of Microsoft Thailand, said: “Microsoft is dedicated to helping Thailand excel as a digital economy, ensuring that the benefits of cloud and AI technologies are widespread and contribute to the prosperity and wellbeing of Thais. Together, we are laying the foundations for a future that is not only technologically advanced but also inclusive and sustainable.”
Growing capacity to thrive in the AI era
Microsoft’s digital infrastructure commitment includes establishing a new datacenter region in Thailand. The datacenter region will expand the availability of Microsoft’s hyperscale cloud services, facilitating enterprise-grade reliability, performance, and compliance with data residency and privacy standards.
It follows growing demand for cloud computing services in Thailand from enterprises, local businesses, and public sector organizations. It will also allow Thailand to capitalize on the significant economic and productivity opportunities presented by the latest AI technology.
According to research by Kearney, AI could contribute nearly US$1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s gross domestic product by 2030, with Thailand poised to capture US$117 billion of this amount.
Ensuring a skilled, AI-ready workforce
On Tuesday, Microsoft announced a broader commitment to provide AI skilling opportunities for 2.5 million people in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states by 2025. This training and support will be delivered in partnership with governments, nonprofit and corporate organizations, and communities in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Microsoft’s skilling commitment is expected to benefit more than 100,000 individuals in Thailand.
It will enhance the AI proficiency of those involved in the nation’s tourism sector through the AI Skills for the AI-enabled Tourism Industry program. The initiative is a partnership between Microsoft and Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Ministry of Labour, and the nation’s Technology Vocational Education Training Institute. It aims to empower young entrepreneurs and youths involved in tourism businesses across minor-tier geographic provinces in all five regions of Thailand.
The program will focus on enhancing the capabilities of 500 trainers from technology vocational education training institutes in AI for Thailand’s tourism sector. These trainers will then equip young individuals in tourism and hospitality with AI skills. The learning module will be accessible through partners’ learning platforms to ensure sustainability and scalability.
The tourism initiative builds on other Microsoft-supported skilling initiatives in Thailand, including Accelerating Thailand, the ASEAN Cyber Security Programme, Code; Without Barriers, and the Junior Software Developer Program.
Microsoft will also enable the Royal Thai Government to adopt a cloud-first policy with an AI skill development program for developers and government IT personnel.
Enabling developers to harness AI’s potential
Nadella highlighted the important role developers play in shaping Thailand’s digital-first, AI-powered future.
Microsoft will continue to help foster the growth of the country’s developer community through new initiatives such as AI Odyssey, which is expected to help 6,000 Thai developers become AI subject matter experts by learning new skills and earning Microsoft credentials.
Thailand is a rapidly growing market on GitHub, the Microsoft-owned software development, collaboration, and innovation platform. More than 900,000 Thailand-based developers used GitHub in 2023, representing 24 percent year-on-year growth.
Furthermore, many Thai organizations are boosting their productivity and accelerating innovation using Microsoft’s generative AI-powered solutions. For example:
- Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS), Thailand’s largest digital life service provider, has enhanced its workforce productivity by adopting Copilot for Microsoft 365. The tool has been instrumental for employees across AIS, including those in its legal and compliance teams. The company has also deployed GitHub Copilot and Azure OpenAI Service to develop applications and AI-powered assistant.
- The National Health Security Office (NHSO) has built a transformative platform as part of its AI for a Healthier Thailand initiative. The platform uses Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Machine Learning, and other Microsoft technologies to simplify healthcare policy data, making it understandable to every Thai citizen. It also offers personalized healthcare advice, including information on rights, received services, and access to healthcare facilities tailored to individual health requirements. The platform is making care more accessible for more than 66 million people in Thailand.
- SCBX Public Company Limited, a financial technology conglomerate that operates one of the largest banks in Thailand, Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), is harnessing Azure OpenAI Service in innovative ways to become an AI-first organization. SCB has upgraded its customer support with a chatbot named Manee, which integrates Azure OpenAI Service to enhance intent recognition, saving the bank about US$400,000 annually. Furthermore, its subsidiary, InnovestX, is using the service to process and summarize analysts’ reports and earnings briefs for listed companies. SCBX has also used Azure OpenAI Service to develop an in-house social media sentiment analysis tool that enhances the precision of automated online monitoring and improves reputation management.
- The Office of the Council of State (OCS) is an agency under the Office of the Prime Minister that provides legal advice, as well as legislative drafting and review to the Royal Thai Government. The OCS has announced it will use Copilot for Microsoft 365 for its government lawyers and other professionals.
Several other organizations in Thailand are working with Microsoft to explore new possibilities with AI. They include the nation’s largest privately held company, Charoen Pokphand Group, and leading petrochemical and refining business, PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited.
Microsoft also collaborates with Thailand’s National Cyber Security Agency to provide information on internet safety, cyber threats and vulnerabilities, and other related guidance to enhance the nation’s cybersecurity posture in the AI era. The Ministry of Finance, meanwhile, is using the power of AI to enhance cross-agency data collaboration, which will unlock deeper insights that support policy development towards a more financially inclusive economy for Thailand.
