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Google Eyes Expansion in Thai Government Projects
Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan discusses collaboration on digital economy initiatives with Google executives.
During a recent trip to the United States, Thailand's Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan announced that Google has expressed a strong interest in increasing its investments in government-related projects within Thailand.
The discussions centred on fostering collaboration in the digital economy, enhancing cybersecurity, and investing in advanced technologies.
A significant aspect of these talks was Google's commitment to invest more in Thai projects, particularly regarding cloud services and data centres.
This aligns with trends seen from other major global technology firms such as Microsoft and Amazon, who have also made significant investments in the region.
Furthermore, the United Arab Emirates is in discussions to establish data centres in Thailand, indicating a growing interest in the country's technological infrastructure.
Minister Pichai described Thailand's role as the chair of the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (Defa) negotiations as crucial, revealing Google's enthusiasm to support the establishment of this agreement, which aims to set an international standard for digital economy collaboration.
The government aims to develop Defa as a comprehensive and high-standard accord that will stimulate future advancements in the digital sector.
Key topics of focus during these discussions included intellectual property rights and the adaptation of legal frameworks for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The completion of Defa negotiations has been targeted for this year, with aspirations that it will result in the world’s first regional digital economy agreement.
Such an agreement could enhance digital cooperation between ASEAN and other regions, including the United States.
Minister Pichai also highlighted the importance of strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure globally, to protect data and online transactions.
The regulatory landscape for the digital economy was another point of discussion, with potential regulatory hurdles identified that could hinder trade and investment.
Moreover, Minister Pichai extended an invitation to Google to collaborate on the development of a super app for the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at improving the efficiency of public projects.
Google demonstrated a willingness to assist with this initiative.
In addition to meetings with Google representatives, Minister Pichai engaged with the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council, meeting with delegates from over 26 leading American companies.
These companies included Nasdaq, FedEx, PepsiCo, IBM, Citigroup, and Apple, among others.
The relationship between Thailand and the United States remains strong, with the US being Thailand’s second-largest trading partner in 2024, with total trade valued at over $74.4 billion.
The US is notably Thailand's top export market, contributing $54.9 billion in exports, primarily comprising computers, rubber goods, gems, automobiles, and air conditioning units, while imports from the US were valued at $19.5 billion, including crude oil, machinery, and chemicals.
The discussions centred on fostering collaboration in the digital economy, enhancing cybersecurity, and investing in advanced technologies.
A significant aspect of these talks was Google's commitment to invest more in Thai projects, particularly regarding cloud services and data centres.
This aligns with trends seen from other major global technology firms such as Microsoft and Amazon, who have also made significant investments in the region.
Furthermore, the United Arab Emirates is in discussions to establish data centres in Thailand, indicating a growing interest in the country's technological infrastructure.
Minister Pichai described Thailand's role as the chair of the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (Defa) negotiations as crucial, revealing Google's enthusiasm to support the establishment of this agreement, which aims to set an international standard for digital economy collaboration.
The government aims to develop Defa as a comprehensive and high-standard accord that will stimulate future advancements in the digital sector.
Key topics of focus during these discussions included intellectual property rights and the adaptation of legal frameworks for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
The completion of Defa negotiations has been targeted for this year, with aspirations that it will result in the world’s first regional digital economy agreement.
Such an agreement could enhance digital cooperation between ASEAN and other regions, including the United States.
Minister Pichai also highlighted the importance of strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure globally, to protect data and online transactions.
The regulatory landscape for the digital economy was another point of discussion, with potential regulatory hurdles identified that could hinder trade and investment.
Moreover, Minister Pichai extended an invitation to Google to collaborate on the development of a super app for the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at improving the efficiency of public projects.
Google demonstrated a willingness to assist with this initiative.
In addition to meetings with Google representatives, Minister Pichai engaged with the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council, meeting with delegates from over 26 leading American companies.
These companies included Nasdaq, FedEx, PepsiCo, IBM, Citigroup, and Apple, among others.
The relationship between Thailand and the United States remains strong, with the US being Thailand’s second-largest trading partner in 2024, with total trade valued at over $74.4 billion.
The US is notably Thailand's top export market, contributing $54.9 billion in exports, primarily comprising computers, rubber goods, gems, automobiles, and air conditioning units, while imports from the US were valued at $19.5 billion, including crude oil, machinery, and chemicals.
