The Commerce Minister said that Google has expressed an interest in increasing its investment in Thai government-related projects.
During his trip to the US last week, Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan held discussions with Google executives that revolved around fostering collaboration in the digital economy, enhancing cybersecurity and investing in advanced technologies in Thailand.
A significant focus of their talks was on public project investments. Google is keen on increasing its investment in Thai government-related projects, particularly in cloud services and data centres.
Major global technology firms such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon have already made significant investments in Thailand, while the United Arab Emirates is showing an interest in establishing data centres in the country, he said.
Developing Defa
Mr Pichai added that Google acknowledged Thailand's role as chair of the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement's (Defa) negotiations and is eager to support the establishment of an agreement as an international standard for digital economy collaboration.
He emphasised the government's ambition to develop Defa as a comprehensive and high-standard digital economy agreement that encourages future advancement of the digital sector.
Intellectual property rights, especially in adapting legal frameworks to accommodate modern technologies such as AI, were identified as a pivotal areas of focus.
The negotiations surrounding Defa aim to be completed by this year, which, if achieved, would result in the world’s first regional digital economy agreement and could enhance digital cooperation between Asean and other regions, including the US.
Mr Pichai said the discussion also underscored the necessity of strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure to safeguard data and online transactions on a global scale.
They also discussed the regulatory landscape for the digital economy, noting potential hurdles that could hamper trade and investment.
Additionally, Mr Pichai invited Google to collaborate on developing a super app for the Ministry of Commerce to improve public project efficiency, to which Google expressed a willingness to contribute.
Broad US interest
In addition to Google, Mr Pichai also had discussions with representatives from the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council.
He met with delegates from more than 26 leading American firms including Nasdaq, FedEx, the Asia Group, PepsiCo, IBM, Mars, Citi, Organin, Intel, Vriens & Partners, ConocoPhillips, Caterpillar, Seagate, Tyson Food, Apple, DGA-Albright, Stonebridge Group, BowerGroupAsia, S&P Global, Visa, Boeing, Dow, Cargill, 3M and Viatris.
In 2024, the US was Thailand's second-largest trading partner, with total trade value exceeding US$74.4 billion.
The US continues to be Thailand's top export market, contributing $54.9 billion in exports, which includes key products such as computers, rubber goods, gems, automobiles and air conditioning units.
The value of imports from the US amounted to $19.5 billion, which includes crude oil, machinery and chemicals.
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