Thailand's state telco National Telecom (NT) is seeking approval to develop two data centers as part of a $145 million expansion plan.
In addition to the data centers, the expansion plan includes AI and big data projects, leasing last-mile fiber ducts to other broadband operators, providing digital services to government agencies, and partnerships to increase broadband sales.
The two data centers would be developed for NT to offer cloud services to government agencies. The data centers will reportedly be at the company's offices in Klong Toei and Ngamwongwan, which have plots available with 0.6 hectares and 11.25 hectares of land respectively
According to NT, "four or five" overseas companies have stated their interest in partnering with the telco on the project.
The expansion plan was submitted to the State Enterprise Policy Committee (SEPC) for approval on December 16, though further information was needed and delayed final submission till January 22.
“This plan captures SEPC’s attention as it will help save the government a lot of money because state firms will need to use data centers a lot,” said NT managing director Colonel Sanphachai Huvanandana.
NT expects its existing data centers, located in Bang Rak and Nonthaburi, to be out of capacity within two years, the same timescale estimated for the construction of two new sites. It will also offer government agencies a cost-effective way to migrate to the cloud.
NT is seeking assistance from the Digital Economy and Society Ministry to get the government's approval for privileges in cloud service investment so as to encourage foreign companies to invest and become partners or clients of NT.
NT was formed in 2021 as a merged entity of state enterprises CAT Telecom and TOT Public Company Limited. According to DataCenterMap, CAT Telecom IDC operates a data center at its telecom tower site, 72 CATTelecom Bld. Fl.13 New Rd. Bang Rak,10500 Bangkok. The company's Nonthaburi data center is located at CAT's telecoms campus at Bang Krasaw.
In December 2021, NT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with data center provider SuperNap which would see NT lease space in the SuperNap colocation facility in order to provide cloud services to governmental agencies.
NT also signed a MoU with India's CtrlS in 2023 for a new data center campus in Chonburi, Thailand. The 150MW campus will connect to a number of NT's cable landing stations.
