GULF Shares Vision at Earth Jump Forum, Driving Thailand to Become Regional Data Center & AI Hub

Gulf Development Public Company Limited (GULF) recently participated in a panel discussion titled "Sustainability License to Operate AI & Data Center" at the Earth Jump 2026 forum [1]. Mr. Smith Banomyong, Chief Strategy Officer of GULF, shared key insights alongside executive leaders from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the Association of Private Power Producers, and Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Public Company Limited (East Water). The discussion focused on the future of Thailand's digital infrastructure and its potential to become a regional data center hub. During the panel, GULF emphasized its strategy to develop high-efficiency, energy-saving data centers capable of supporting the massive computational demands of Cloud, Hyperscale, and AI sectors. This approach balances sustainable resource management with the advocacy for Data Sovereignty policies, aimed at enhancing Thailand’s global competitiveness and securing national data security.

Digital Infrastructure: The New Economic Foundation

Mr. Smith stated that the data center industry should no longer be viewed merely as a business that consumes domestic resources, but rather as critical "digital infrastructure." Similar to physical transportation networks, data centers serve as the essential foundation for advancing data science and driving the country’s digital economy.

Given that data centers require significant amounts of electricity and water, GULF prioritizes architectural design and resource management to maximize efficiency. GULF’s data center projects are designed to minimize energy consumption and optimize limited resources, earning prestigious global certifications for Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). This ensures that the infrastructure meets the safety, stability, and sustainability demands of Cloud, Hyperscale, and AI clients.

Turning a Delayed Start into a "Late-Mover Advantage" through Technology

While neighboring countries in Southeast Asia began developing data centers earlier, GULF views this as a "Late-Mover Advantage" for Thailand. Starting later allows the country to immediately adopt the most advanced, state-of-the-art technologies to support next-generation innovations.

GULF's GSA Data Center is engineered as an AI-Ready Infrastructure capable of handling High-Performance Computing (HPC) for Hyperscale and AI Cloud providers. It features high-density power distribution, modular design for seamless scalability, and cutting-edge Liquid-Cooling systems. These advanced systems are often incompatible with older data center infrastructures abroad. This new technology not only accelerates processing speeds but also reduces energy consumption per token and lowers long-term electricity costs—key factors in attracting high-performance AI processing investments to Thailand.

Advocating for "Data Sovereignty" to Safeguard National Security

Another critical point raised by GULF is the upcoming challenge of national data security. As AI becomes deeply integrated into daily life and business, storing and processing national data or "AI brains" abroad poses strategic risks in the event of geopolitical conflicts, trade disputes, or international communication failures, such as damaged subsea cables.

GULF recommends that government agencies implement policies concerning local content requirements for critical data. Mr. Smith cited Singapore and South Korea as examples, where regulations mandate that national data—especially government data—must be stored and processed domestically. Currently, Thailand only enforces such regulations primarily for national security and defense data. Expanding data sovereignty policies to cover broader sectors is a crucial step toward protecting the nation's security and long-term interests.

GULF remains committed to developing flexible digital infrastructure that aligns with future technology. The GSA Data Center 01 (GSA01), a joint venture between GULF, AIS, and Singtel with a capacity of 25.6 MW, is designed to Tier 3+ standards. GULF is currently planning and developing the GSA Data Center 02 (GSA02) and GSA Data Center 03 (GSA03) in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a strategic zone designated to support long-term economic growth and digital infrastructure.

Beyond providing physical data center infrastructure, GULF aims to expand into Value-Added Services, such as Cloud and AI services. GULF’s management is currently engaging with strategic investors and partners to bring these high-value digital services and technology developments directly into Thailand.