Thai corporates investing THB300m in 5G pro hub to promote e-sports and digital tech

The space is also intended to encourage and educate the country's young generation about digital technology.

Kantana will be in charge of running the hub, while True will support digital technology devices and equipment, including the 5G network, and Siam Piwat Group will provide the location and oversee the hub's decoration and maintenance.

Each party will contribute around 100 million baht, for a total of 300 million baht, to run the hub for three years.

Piroon Paireepairit, strategy committee and head of working group 5G, True Corporation, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the fund includes a budget for holding events, such as e-sport tournaments during this time period.

"This area is expected to be a one-stop shop for e-sports, with space for large tournaments and a community that caters to the needs of both amateurs and professionals. It will also be a new world in which new generation people will be able to use cutting-edge technology to endlessly expand their future skills," said Piroon.

He insisted that the "True 5G Pro Hub" will accommodate the needs of the three new generation lifestyles of gamers and e-sports participants, Generation Z lifestyles, and future skills.

The hub is currently under construction on the 4th floor of Siam Discovery, said Jatuporn Laosongchitra, senior vice president - core business development, Siam Piwat. One-third of the 2,000 square metres of space have been completed.

It will be officially opened for full service on December 20.

"We believe that 'True 5G Pro Hub' will be a new destination for new generation people in the future, full of opportunities for expanding business," Jatuporn noted.

Jiraj Kaljaruek, director of content and marketing at Kantana Group, a leading content and production company in Thailand, said that the "True 5G Pro Hub" will be another important milestone in driving Thailand's digital economy to sustainable growth with an economic value of up to 37.6 billion baht.

He emphasised that this is not only an extension and development of the e-sports industry but also skills and lifestyles that the younger generation are interested in, as well as future skills with digital connections.

The hub will be divided into five zones: gaming zone for amateur players to share their skills, private VIP zones for professional players seeking privacy, arena zones for events and e-sports competitions, future skills training zones, and food and beverage services.

The partnership of these three leading companies in real estate, technology and content production highlights the potential growth of Thailand's e-sports and gamers industry. According to statista.com, the revenue in the e-sports market could reach $5.94 million in 2022. Meanwhile, revenue is expected to grow at a 12.25 per cent per annum, resulting in a market volume of $10.58 million by 2027.