Thai billionaire partners with Singaporean firm to build $1 billion data center
- B.Grimm Power and Digital Edge have entered into a joint venture to build data centers in Thailand.
- The first data center will be a 96-megawatt facility in Chonburi province.
- This investment aims to leverage renewable energy and advanced technology to solidify Thailand's position as a digital hub in Southeast Asia.
In Thailand, the demand for AI-powered applications is on the rise, prompting significant investments in digital infrastructure. B.Grimm Power, led by Thai billionaire Harald Link, has partnered with Singapore's Digital Edge to invest $1 billion in developing a data center in the country. This joint venture, named Digital Edge B. Grimm, aims to start with a 96-megawatt data center located in Chonburi province, roughly 100 kilometers southeast of Bangkok. The overall objective is to cater to the increasing needs of AI and cloud service providers in Southeast Asia, marking a critical step towards making Thailand a regional digital hub. Harald Link, the group president of B.Grimm Power, emphasized that this collaboration marks a significant milestone in their commitment to fostering Thailand's digital future. The venture aims to combine renewable energy with advanced data center technology, facilitating the nation’s transition into a regional hub for AI and cloud innovation. With B. Grimm holding a 40% stake in this project, the investment reflects a trend where local and international players recognize Thailand's potential as a burgeoning digital market. John Freeman, the CEO of Digital Edge, supports this view, noting that Thailand is emerging as one of Asia’s most vibrant digital growth markets. The timing of their entry is critical as the demand for AI and machine learning capabilities continues to escalate throughout the region. This investment aligns with Thailand's ambitions to transform into a hotspot for data centers, as the government has already approved multiple projects worth significant sums, further establishing the country’s appeal for digital infrastructure investment. With a real-time net worth of approximately $1.2 billion, Harald Link is among Thailand's wealthiest individuals, steering B.Grimm since 1987. This represents a strategic play not just for economic growth but also a preparation for future leadership, as Link is grooming his daughter, Caroline, to take over the family's business operations in due course. The local participation by a conglomerate like B.Grimm in synergy with a well-established firm such as Digital Edge illustrates a promising future for Thailand's digital landscape.