Supernap to build Thai data centre

Competition in the Thai data centre market is hotting up, with a global player making a significant investment to build a facility here and existing operators expanding capacity.

Supernap International, a Nevadabased data centre developer and operator, is spending US$300 million to open its first data centre in Thailand and only its second one outside the US after Italy.

With capacity to serve more than 6,000 server-rack cabinets, Supernap’s Thai data centre will boast Asia-Pacific’s most advanced facility and Thailand’s largest data centre, chief executive Khaled Bichara said.

To be located in Chon Buri’s Hemaraj Industrial Estate, the data centre will start operations in next year’s first quarter.

“With the emergence of the Asean Economic Community and Thailand’s plans for a digital economy, our data centre will set a new standard for quality, security and innovation in Asia-Pacific including Thailand,” Mr Bichara said.

Supernap Thailand will be set up in partnership between Supernap International and CPB Equity, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank and True Internet Data Center (TIDC).

Mr Bichara said development of Supernap Thailand’s data centre would enhance the use of technology in the banking sector and provide a home-grown solution for Thai companies seeking to expand their IT capabilities.

Earlier, TIDC general manager Thanasorn Jaidee said the company expected Supernap Thailand’s facility to cater to the premium customer segment.

In a related development, Wanchai Vach-Shevadumrong, deputy managing director of Internet Thailand Plc (Inet), a SET-listed data centre operator, said his company would build its third data centre at a cost of 2 billion baht.

The 8,000-square metre data centre in Saraburi province will have capacity to serve 2,000 computer racks and begin operations in 2018. Construction of the 700-million-baht first phase will start this March.

Mr Wanchai said the new facility would accommodate growing cloud-based service. Inet expects revenue of 1 billion baht in 2017, half from cloud-based services, up from 30% of revenue of 600 million last year.

INET shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 3.96 baht, down four satang, in trade worth 11.4 million baht.