Huawei Vows to Boost Joint Efforts to Make Thailand a Regional Cloud Hub as MDES Elaborates on “Cloud First” Policy

The drive to achieve the national digital blueprint through joint efforts is a shared topic among the hundreds of guests at the Huawei Cloud Summit Thailand, jointly organized by the MDES and Huawei in Bangkok.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the summit, Mr. Prasert Chanthararuangthong, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, elaborated on the details and next steps for the Cloud First policy and said that the joint efforts between MDES and Huawei Cloud are aimed at showcasing the real benefits of the "Cloud First" policy for the Thai population.

He said that the “Cloud First” policy, which was unveiled last year, is more than just a technological initiative.

“It is a comprehensive strategy to drive Thailand’s digital transformation, enhance public service efficiency, and foster innovation across all sectors,” the minister said. “This policy will not only enhance the efficiency and security of our digital infrastructure but also provide the foundation for Thailand to become a hub of technological innovation and economic growth.”

“We are confident that this policy will accelerate our digital transformation, create new opportunities for economic development, and position Thailand at the forefront of the digital revolution in Southeast Asia. We invite all stakeholders to join us in this exciting journey and contribute to the digital future of Thailand," he said.

“Our partnership with Huawei Cloud underscores our dedication to building a robust, secure, and reliable digital ecosystem. Huawei Cloud’s investment in local infrastructure and advanced technologies will play a crucial role in supporting our Cloud First vision. Together, we will ensure that the benefits of cloud technology are realized by all Thai citizens, businesses, and institutions,” he said.

"Today marks a significant milestone in Thailand's journey towards becoming a digital leader in Southeast Asia,” he said.

Jacqueline Shi, President of Global Marketing and Sales Service, Huawei Cloud, said that“Huawei has increased its investment in the Cloud infrastructure in Thailand and that the suite of technologies and tools available to Thailand from its Cloud platform has kept growing over the years.”

“We are committed to boosting our efforts with our partners in Thailand by bringing more advanced technologies and tools and growing the digital services here. We shall not only bring real benefits that are tangible in our daily life, but also leverage the role of the Cloud infrastructure to drive the wider digital transformation,” she said.

Shi said that Huawei Cloud is set to boost its efforts in Thailand over the next five years, focusing on local digital infrastructure to ensure data security and processing efficiency. This substantial investment will bolster Thailand's position as a digital leader in Southeast Asia.

Huawei has built its Cloud infrastructure since 2018, including three local availability zones, making it a Cloud service leader in the country.

“Huawei Cloud boasts a few unrivalled strengths. With our availability zones in Thailand, we make it possible for all customers to store the data in Thailand, while we have cut our Cloud networking latency nationwide to 12ms,” said David Li, CEO of Huawei Technologies Thailand.

Huawei Cloud has brought its suite of latest technologies on Cloud to Thailand, including: GaussDB: An advanced database solution offering unparalleled performance.  MetaStudio's Digital Man: An innovative digital person model providing highly synchronized, lifelike virtual humans.

MDES has outlined seven key digital policies, emphasizing the transformative potential of cloud technology. One among the seven, the "Cloud First" policy is designed to drive rapid digital transformation, leveraging cloud computing to enhance government efficiency, support large enterprises, and serve regional customers.

Huawei Cloud has partnered with MDES to launch the e-Government cloud to enhance digital collaboration and public service quality. It supported Thailand’s first Smart City in the Eastern Economic Corridor, improving public services and infrastructure. Besides, it developed the first SCG green mine and Matsumoto Smart Factory, driving efficiency and sustainability.

As a trusted cloud service provider, Huawei Cloud has been deeply engaged in local industries and brought hybrid cloud solutions that most meet Thailand's local development requirements. Huawei Cloud has entered more than 15 industries in Thailand and launched more than 100 cloud services. According to Sullivan's report in December 2023, Huawei Thailand ranked No. 1 in the hybrid cloud market share. In the digital transformation of governments, enterprises, and industries, Thailand's top 10 enterprises, more than 70% government ministries, and 25 financial institutions have selected Huawei as their digital transformation partner.

Huawei Cloud's commitment extends beyond technology to building a robust digital ecosystem and nurturing local talents through several training programs to help Thailand fill the gap of 500,000 digital talents.

Among them is the ASEAN Academy (Thailand), which was set up in 2020, has trained over 96,200 individuals, including ICT practitioners, cloud AI developers, green engineers, and rural students. Huawei also launched the Spark startup competition with the government and partners, recruited more than 120 start-ups, and provided technical, capital, market expansion, and operation support. In recognition of its contributions, Huawei received Thailand's Prime Minister's Award for Best Human Capital Contribution in June 2023.