(Photo:B.Grimm Power)
The data center boom driven by the technology industry has attracted other sectors to join the fray. Among them, Thailand's energy company B.Grimm Power plans to leverage its renewable energy advantages to seek partners, while Thai real estate developer Central Pattana is expanding its footprint through joint ventures. According to Kasikorn Research Center, investment in data centers in Thailand will reach $7.8 billion from 2024 to 2027.
Thai-stock-listed B.Grimm Power intends to extend its reach into the technology sector. Nopadej Karnasuta, the company's Senior Vice President for Investment, Innovation, and Sustainability, stated that B.Grimm Power might provide 300MW of renewable energy and data center equipment.
The company is currently conducting feasibility studies to understand organizational structure and manpower needs. It does not rule out the possibility of acquisitions or establishing a new company, with an estimated investment cost of $10 million per megawatt.
Additionally, B.Grimm Power is about to launch a smart utilities project with an investment of 10-12 billion THB (about USD 278 million-334 million). This project involves constructing rooftop and ground-mounted solar panels with a total installed capacity of about 102MW for Siam City Cement's factory in Saraburi Province. It will provide green electricity directly and smart energy management systems in the future.
Apart from energy companies, Thai real estate developers are also eyeing the data center market. Central Pattana, in a joint venture with Singapore data center operator Evolution Data Centres, announced the construction of a data center in Bangkok last year. Recently, they selected Bang Na district for a new project, with the first phase expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2025.
Meanwhile, the joint venture has expanded its cooperation with Thai internet and telecom company International Gateway to provide high-speed fiber infrastructure for the data center, enhancing system computing speed and capacity.
According to telecom technology consultant TeckNexus, with the contribution of Chinese and American companies, the compound annual growth rate of data centers in Thailand is expected to be around 25% by 2028. Kasikorn Research Center estimates that Thailand’s data center investment will reach $7.8 billion from 2024 to 2027, accounting for about 1.1% of Thailand’s GDP, second only to Singapore and Malaysia among ASEAN countries.
Source: Bangkok Post、Developing Telecoms、Technexus、The Nation
