Gulf Development, Thailand's largest energy company by market value and a major telecom operator, has announced plans to invest in new data centres with a combined capacity of 100 megawatts this year, underscoring its ambition to become a regional leader in digital infrastructure and cloud services.
Smith Banomyong, chief strategy officer at Gulf, said feasibility studies have begun for 1-2 additional projects, with final decisions expected before the end of the year.
The expansion is part of Gulf's broader target to reach roughly 2,000MW of service capacity within 3-5 years.
The company's strategy includes investments in electricity generation to support its data centre ventures, as well as renewable energy supply through direct power purchase agreements with data centre companies.
Gulf estimates average investment of US$6-7 million per MW for data centre projects between 2026 and 2030.
Mr Smith highlighted Gulf's commitment to sustainability, noting its facilities are designed to minimise electricity and water usage. The company employs water-cooling systems and energy-efficient building designs to reduce resource consumption.
He also urged the government to introduce specific regulations for data centres, similar to laws in Singapore and South Korea that safeguard sensitive data.
To support its expansion, Gulf established Gulf Edge Data Center 02 Co (GEDC02).
Gulf's current data centre projects include GSA Data Center 01 in Samut Prakan, a joint venture with Singtel and Advance Info Service that is operational with a 25MW capacity, which is the first in Thailand to use a liquid cooling system for artificial intelligence (AI) chips.
Another project, GSA02, is under development in Chon Buri, with a planned capacity of 38MW, scheduled for commercial operation in mid-2027. The 100MW GEDC project in Rayong is under construction and expected to open in late 2027.
Gulf's total capital expenditure over five years is projected at 130-140 billion baht, with around 10% allocated to digital infrastructure.
The company is also in discussions with investors to expand into AI, though details remain confidential.
