Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has pledged Thailand’s commitment to enhancing digital skills and infrastructure during her meetings with major technology firms at the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru.

She met with executives from Google, TikTok, and Microsoft to discuss investments and collaborations in Thailand’s digital sector.

Paetongtarn assured Google of Thailand's support for its planned $1 billion investment to build a data centre and cloud region in Thailand, which is expected to create over 14,000 jobs and generate around $4 billion by 2029.

This investment is part of a broader initiative to integrate digital tools into government operations and advance AI skills in the Thai workforce.

A previous meeting with Ruth Porat of Google in September laid the groundwork for these discussions.

In her meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, the focus was on strengthening cooperation to empower small enterprises, enhance digital marketing, and promote tourism through digital platforms.

Both parties agreed on developing measures for user safety and content creator responsibility.

TikTok, which launched in Thailand in 2019, has seen its user base grow to over 49 million.

Discussions with Antony Cook of Microsoft centered on furthering cloud and AI infrastructure investments and enhancing AI skills among Thai workers.

This aligns with Thailand’s ambitions to become a regional digital hub.

The meeting built on Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s visit to Thailand in May 2024, which highlighted strategic plans for AI and digital skill development.

These engagements signal Thailand’s strategic focus on leveraging digital technologies as a key driver of economic growth.