Doma Infrastructure Group (DIG) shakes up Thai market with ambitious 1.5GW plan for data center parks
Doma Infrastructure Group (DIG) today announced plans to develop 1.5GW of data center parks in Thailand. Positioning itself as a developer of master-planned data center parks, DIG has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Silicon Tech Park (STP), a Thai technology park operator. Together, they will jointly develop three AI-ready data center parks with a planned power capacity of 1.5GW by the third quarter of 2026.
This joint venture will see the acquisition of 300 acres of freehold land across the provinces of Chachoengsao, Chonburi, and Rayong, all parts of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The EEC is a key economic development initiative that covers these three eastern provinces. Launched in 2017, it aims to modernise the industrial base for the digital age under the Thailand 4.0 vision.
Data from DC Byte shows that Thailand has around 110MW of data center capacity currently, when data center projects under construction are included. If the proposed 1,500MW of capacity is fully realised, it will completely transform the data center landscape in the country.
Building data center parks
In an exclusive interview with W.Media, Clement Goh, the CEO and co-founder of DIG, shared about his firm’s business model, which he says is unique in the Asia Pacific. Goh is a seasoned data center veteran with two decades of experience; he was previously the managing director of Equinix in South Asia and also served as the CEO of STT GDC in Southeast Asia.
According to Goh, DIG will be the master developer for establishing and managing data center parks. This means it will secure the requisite permits, negotiate access to utilities, get fibre networks in place, and construct the data center core and shell for its customers. The idea is to dramatically speed up the development of new data centers for data center operations and hyperscalers, he says.
“We are not getting into operations. We do not want to compete with any of the operators. We just want to make sure that we provide the ability for them to operate,” Goh said, noting that his firm is open to various financing models to support data center operators.
“You can start with a lease, because you want to make sure that the utilities come online as promised. And once that happens, and the asset becomes stabilised, we are happy to sell it and then we move on; we recycle the capital in other markets.”
All ready to roll
Goh confirmed that the land, water, and the majority of the planned 1.5GW of power have already been secured and will be available from “day one”. Beyond access to renewables such as solar, negotiations are ongoing to access hydroelectric power across the Thai border from Laos.
But what about the drought that Thailand is currently facing and ongoing water shortages in parts of the Land of Smiles? Goh says this isn’t an issue with the current locations: “We have a reservoir within the park at Rayong, so water is not an issue there. The other two locations are all close to mature industrial estates in the area, [so] the supply of water is not an issue either.”
Indeed, should an operator or hyperscaler sign on today and the data centers are constructed in parallel with the clearing of land, Goh says that the first data centers can go live as soon as 2026.
Why did Goh and his team opt to build their first data center parks in Thailand? There were several reasons, says Goh, who says many data center operators are already evaluating Thailand for its supportive government policy, affordable power, and access to renewables. He cited several major ongoing Request for Proposals (RFPs) for new data centers as evidence of demand in Thailand.
Regional aspirations
“Thailand is a core market for DIG’s Asia Pacific strategy, and our gigawatt plan reflects our commitment to driving transformative projects in the region. Collaborating with STP, a partner with deep local resources, reinforces our confidence in building a sustainable digital infrastructure ecosystem,” said Goh in a statement.
DIG has regional aspirations that extend far beyond Thailand, though. In the interview, Goh says he is looking at Southeast Asia, Australia, and potentially North Asia. He divulged that discussions are ongoing in Australia, and that DIG is backed by a United States real estate fund, which is working with DIG as its platform for Asia.
While not mentioned, DIG is likely close to a deal in Malaysia, too. The firm has hired Gary Goh, who was formerly the CEO of publicly listed companies Paragon Globe Berhad and Hexza Corporation Berhad in Malaysia, as the Managing Director for Malaysia.
Gary Goh, who has an avid following on LinkedIn where he is known for his posts about new data center construction in Malaysia, announced his new role on the social media platform last night. In a post that has since been “liked” hundreds of times, he wrote: “In this role, I will help with Malaysia site acquisition and accelerating data center sites.”
Source: https://w.media/dig-shakes-up-thai-market-with-ambitious-1-5gw-data-center-plan/
