Microsoft CEO vows to help develop Thailand’s digital economy

The commitments build on the company’s memorandum of understanding with the Thai government to envisage the nation’s digital-first, AI-powered future.

A new data-centre region in Thailand will follow growing demand for cloud computing services in the country from enterprises, local businesses, and public sector organisations, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer Satya Nadella said during a speech at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok.

He affirmed that it will also allow Thailand to capitalise on the significant economic and productivity opportunities.

Nadella said the company also committed to providing AI skills for 2.5 million people in the ASEAN region, which is expected to benefit more than 100,000 individuals in Thailand, including tourism-sector personnel and government IT (information technology) officials.

He added that the company was also collaborating with the National Cyber Security Agency to provide information on Internet safety, cyber threats and vulnerabilities in a bid to enhance the nation’s cybersecurity in the AI era.

“Thailand has an incredible opportunity to build a digital-first, AI-powered future,” he said. “Our new data-centre 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 organisations across the public and private sector drive new impact and growth.”

Thailand’s digitalisation growth

The Microsoft chairman and CEO went on to say that Thailand is a rapidly growing market on GitHub, the company-owned software development, collaboration and innovation platform. More than 900,000 Thailand-based developers used GitHub in 2023, representing 24% year-on-year growth, he explained.

Nadella said many Thai organisations like Advanced Info Services and the National Health Security Office are boosting their productivity and accelerating innovation using the company’s generative AI-powered solutions.

“According to research by business management consultant Kearney, AI could contribute nearly US$1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s gross domestic product by 2030, with Thailand poised to capture $117 billion of this amount,” he said.

Thailand’s pledge to digital transformation

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin affirmed the government’s readiness to build AI industry in Thailand under his “Ignited Thailand” vision announced in February this year.

“Our Ignited 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 research and development capabilities, while also strengthening our tech workforce,” he explained.

He said the government is working on the second phase of AI development to build the digital-economy ecosystem and boost competitiveness in the global market, focusing on attracting foreign digital talents and support digital technology investments in Thailand.

The government is also focusing on dealing with climate change and achieving net-zero carbon emission by 2065, such as boosting the consumption of renewable energy to 50% by 2040, Srettha said.

“Today’s announcement with Microsoft is a significant milestone in the journey of our ‘Ignited Thailand’ vision – one that promises new opportunities for growth, innovation and prosperity for all Thais,” he said.

Second visit

Satya Nadella, now 56, was born in Hyderabad, India. He received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology in Karnataka in 1988, and a master’s degree in computer science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1990.

Nadella began his career at Sun Microsystems as a member of its technology staff before joining Microsoft in 1992. He went on to earn a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 1997.

In 2014, Nadella followed his predecessors Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer to become the third CEO of Microsoft.

Under Nadella, the company has revised its mission statement to “empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more”. He has also orchestrated a cultural shift at Microsoft by emphasising empathy, collaboration, and a “growth mindset”.

This is Nadella’s second visit to Thailand following a 2016 trip in which he announced Microsoft’s commitment to support and boost the potential of Thai developers in the “Microsoft Thailand Developer Day” event.