Thai PM Opens the Door to U.S. Business and Big Tech for Thailand’s Next Chapter
Thai PM Opens the Door to U.S. Business and Big Tech for Thailand’s Next Chapter
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul welcomed some of America’s biggest corporate names to talk about Thailand’s future on 5 November.
The morning began with the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and representatives of 33 American companies across seven sectors, ranging from automotive and digital innovation to food, agriculture, and health sciences. The talks built on conversations begun at the UN General Assembly in New York. The Premier pointed to Thailand FastPass, which can cut investment approval times by up to 50%, and Thailand Skill Bridge, which aims to match workers’ skills with what industry needs.
He also highlighted Direct PPAs for wider access to clean energy, and Thailand’s preparations to join the OECD. On trade, he said negotiations with the U.S. Trade Representative have reached agreement in substance, with hopes of moving toward an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade.
In the afternoon, the spotlight turned to technology. Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google, followed up on earlier discussions in New York. Google reaffirmed its commitment to investing in Thailand, and the talks centered on sustainable data center development, with water and electricity use a key focus. The PM also floated an AI-powered one-stop service for data center licensing, an idea Google was keen on, saying it wants to be among the first to use it.
Google will also work with Thailand on “AI for All Thais,” a project to bring AI skills to communities in agriculture, healthcare, education and beyond.
The message from both meetings was that investment should go hand in hand with sustainability and the development of Thai people’s skills, so that the benefits reach the economy and ordinary Thais alike.
Source: PR Thai Government
