GIP–BlackRock Discusses a Strategic Partnership with "CP–True IDC" to Strengthen Thailand's Digital Infrastructure and Build a Regional Giga Data Center Hub
BANGKOK, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Thailand has once again gained strong confidence from leading global investors, as a high-level delegation from Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)—a major infrastructure investment group under BlackRock, one of the world's largest asset managers—paid an official visit to Thailand. The delegation was led by Mr. Adebayo Ogunlesi, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of GIP, and Senior Managing Director at BlackRock. During the visit, Mr. Ogunlesi met with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to discuss investment opportunities and collaboration in Thailand's digital infrastructure. Joining the discussion were Mr. Suphachai Chearavanont, CEO of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group), and executives from True IDC, who shared their vision and reaffirmed the Thai private sector's readiness to elevate the country as a regional hub for technology and AI.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra warmly welcomed the delegation and expressed her commitment to facilitating private sector infrastructure investments with greater ease, speed, and transparency. The PM also affirmed the government's willingness to support collaboration between the private sector and academic institutions to develop knowledge and human capital, ultimately strengthening the foundation for Thailand's digital economy and data center industry.
Mr. Suphachai Chearavanont, CEO of CP Group, stated, "Thailand holds tremendous potential to become the digital and AI hub of ASEAN. We are now entering the Giga Data Center era—facilities designed to support gigawatt-scale energy demands and handle high-intensity workloads, tailored to meet the needs of global technology companies investing in Thailand. CP Group is fully committed to working with international partners such as GIP and the Thai government to elevate the country's digital infrastructure, promote human capital development, and support research and development initiatives. These efforts can transform Thailand into a center for education and innovation, delivering long-term benefits to future generations."
Mr. Adebayo Ogunlesi, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of GIP, and Senior Managing Director at BlackRock, remarked, "GIP operates across more than 100 countries and has deep expertise in delivering world-class infrastructure projects, including airports, ports, power systems, renewable energy, and data center networks—core systems that underpin long-term digital economic growth. We believe in Thailand's strategic importance in Southeast Asia, supported by its advantageous geography, infrastructure, energy resources, and human capital—all of which are conducive to sustainable development. GIP's investment in Thailand is not merely a business opportunity; it is a strategic partnership aimed at building a stable, secure, and sustainable digital ecosystem and laying a new foundation for the regional digital economy."
A key highlight of this visit is GIP–BlackRock's plan to collaborate with local partners on a major digital infrastructure investment in Thailand valued between USD 3–5 billion (approximately THB 105–175 billion), with a primary focus on data centers. This investment will significantly enhance Thailand's capabilities in supporting advanced technology workloads such as AI, Big Data, and Cloud Services. It is expected to generate substantial employment in the engineering and technology sectors while positioning Thailand as a stronger competitor in the modern global economy.
Regionally, Southeast Asia is emerging as a new growth hub for the data center market, with forecasts predicting market value to reach USD 3.81 billion from 2024 to 2029, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%, driven by edge computing, AI adoption, and broad cloud usage. Thailand's data center market alone is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5%–8.5% over the next three years. This marks a pivotal opportunity for Thailand to become a key technology hub with a central role in ASEAN's economic ecosystem.
The visit of GIP–BlackRock to Thailand marks the beginning of a significant strategic alliance. It brings together the vision of the government, leading Thai industry players, and global investors to lay the foundation for future innovation—with Thailand leading the way toward a new regional direction in the era of digital economies driven by intelligent infrastructure.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Kakao Bank secures 'virtual bank' license in Thailand
South Korea's internet-only lender Kakao Bank said Thursday it has received approval from the Thai government to operate a "virtual bank," marking the first reentry of a Korean bank into the Thai market in 25 years. The Thai Ministry of Finance recently selected a consortium formed by Kakao Bank and Thailand's leading financial group SCBX as one of three operators of the country's upcoming virtual banking system. "This license is a crucial step in exploring new markets and a valuable opportunity to showcase the excellence of Korea's digital finance technology," Kakao Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yoon Ho-young said. Through the virtual bank project, Kakao Bank aims to serve as a bridgehead for Korean banks and companies looking to enter the Thai market, he said. The Kakao Bank consortium received high marks for its expertise in building digital banking infrastructure, advanced technological capabilities, and localization strategies. Thailand's virtual banking initiative is designed to offer financial services entirely through digital platforms without physical branches -- similar to South Korea's internet-only banks. Full-scale operations are expected to begin in the second half of 2026, following a one-year preparation period.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Kakao Bank wins approval for Thailand's first virtual bank
Korean lender sets sights on second-half 2026 launch under SCBX-led joint venture Kakao Bank, South Korea's leading internet-only lender, has secured final approval to establish Thailand's first digital bank, marking the official launch of its joint venture with Thai financial giant SCBX to roll out services next year. The Bank of Thailand on Thursday announced the winners of its long-awaited virtual banking licenses, selecting three applicants from five contenders. The SCBX-led consortium — whose members include Kakao Bank and Tencent-backed Chinese digital lender WeBank — was among those granted a license. The other winners were ACM Holding Company and a consortium led by state-run Krung Thai Bank. The licenses were issued following a review by Thailand's Ministry of Finance, based on central bank recommendations. Authorities assessed business models, digital capabilities and each group's potential to boost financial inclusion, particularly for underserved consumers and small businesses. Thailand's central bank said the digital lenders are expected to enhance customer experience, increase efficiency, and drive healthy competition through innovation and better pricing. Regulators also weighed the optimal number of new banks to foster healthy competition while maintaining financial system stability. The approved candidates are required to establish a corporate entity in the third quarter and commence operations within one year, setting the stage for operations to begin in the second half of 2026. The milestone comes two years after Kakao Bank, a subsidiary of Korea's IT giant Kakao, signed a memorandum of understanding with SCBX in June 2023 to collaborate on developing Thailand's first digital bank. SCBX is the holding company of major Thai lender Siam Commercial Bank. This marks Kakao Bank's second overseas venture after launching Superbank in Indonesia through a joint venture with Grab. It remains the only Korean internet-only bank with international operations. The move also signals a meaningful return of Korean banking to Thailand, nearly three decades after Korean lenders exited the market during the 1998 Asian financial crisis. 'Drawing on its experience in shaping Korea's digital banking landscape, Kakao Bank will play a leading role in building the new Thai digital bank, overseeing the development of its technology infrastructure and service design,' a company official told The Korea Herald. Once established, Kakao Bank will become the second-largest shareholder in the new online lender. In response to the approval, Kakao Bank CEO Yun Ho-young called the license "a stepping stone into a new market and a valuable opportunity to showcase the strength of Korea's digital finance technology," adding that the firm aims to serve as a bridgehead for Korean banks and companies seeking entry into the Thai market.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Applied Intuition Closes Series F at $15 Billion Valuation, Accelerating Vehicle Intelligence Across All Moving Machines
Closed in just over a year since the Series E announcement, this transaction demonstrates the company's hypergrowth and cements its leadership position in the vehicle intelligence market MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Applied Intuition, Inc., the leading vehicle intelligence company for automotive, trucking, construction, mining, agriculture and defense, today announced it has closed a $600 million Series F fundraise and tender offer at a $15 billion valuation. This fresh round of funding, co-led by BlackRock-managed funds and accounts and Kleiner Perkins, will propel Applied Intuition into its next phase of vehicle intelligence, deeper product expansion, and global team growth. Other new investors in the round include Franklin Templeton, Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Council, Premji Invest, Stripes, Greycroft, BAM Elevate, and 137 Ventures. Existing investors participating in the round include Fidelity Management & Research Company, General Catalyst, Lux, BOND, Elad Gil, Addition, and Tribe Capital. "Applied Intuition is entering its next era," said Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition. "We're scaling up our investments in bringing intelligence into every moving machine. Everything from cars and trucks to drones and factories will be powered by AI, and our mission is to connect AI with the physical world it will transform." "The last eight years have been about building the infrastructure to enable vehicle intelligence at scale," said Peter Ludwig, co-founder and CTO of Applied Intuition. "The focus of this next phase is to accelerate the rollout of intelligent, software-defined systems across all domains — defense, automotive, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture. With the continued backing of our investors, we're just getting started." Applied Intuition closed this major up round just over a year after announcing its Series E in March 2024. Since then, the company has maintained strong momentum with AI innovations and product launches, including strategic partnerships with OpenAI, TRATON, Isuzu, Porsche and Audi; the release of its off-road autonomy stack; the acquisition of defense technology company EpiSci and the launch of its newest defense products, Axion and Acuity; and recent global office expansion into the United Kingdom. "At BlackRock, we invest in the long-term megatrends reshaping the global economy, including AI, autonomy, and the broader digital evolution," said BlackRock Managing Director Samir Menon. "Our platform has been actively investing in the autonomous driving sector for years, and Applied Intuition has emerged as a key innovation leader. We are proud to back Applied Intuition as they continue their mission to make all vehicles intelligent." "Since our initial investment six years ago, we've believed deeply in Applied Intuition's vision and team," said Mamoon Hamid, Partner at Kleiner Perkins. "Qasar and Peter had the foresight to start building toward a future shaped by vehicle intelligence and autonomy well before it became widely understood. Now, in 2025, with the world taking notice, we are deepening our commitment to what we believe is a generational company." To learn more about how Applied Intuition is the leader in vehicle intelligence and catapulting the autonomy industry forward, go to About Applied Intuition Applied Intuition is the vehicle intelligence company that accelerates the global adoption of safe, AI-driven machines. Founded in 2017, Applied Intuition delivers the toolchain, Vehicle OS and autonomy stacks to help customers build intelligent vehicles and shorten time to market. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers and major programs across the Department of Defense trust Applied Intuition's solutions to deliver vehicle intelligence. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Diego, CA, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, Ann Arbor, MI, London, Stuttgart, Munich, Stockholm, Seoul and Tokyo. Learn more at
