SI-011 :
Digital Sovereignty & Infrastructure 

Situation 

Thailand’s digital ecosystem is structurally dependent on foreign-controlled infrastructure across cloud services, data storage, platform ecosystems, and core digital protocols. Critical national systems—including government data, financial transactions, and communication networks—are increasingly built on external technology stacks.

Meanwhile, global hyperscalers and platform giants are expanding aggressively across Southeast Asia, capturing not only market share but also data flows, compute layers, and digital value chains.

This creates a systemic imbalance: Thailand generates massive amounts of data and digital activity, yet lacks control over where data is processed, how it is governed, and who captures its economic value.

Shift

The global system is transitioning from a borderless digital economy → geo-strategic digital sovereignty blocs.

Nations are redefining digital infrastructure as:

• Strategic national security assets

• Economic control layers

• Sovereignty-defining systems

Control is shifting from application layer dominance → full-stack control (data + compute + infrastructure + protocols).

Digital power is no longer about access to technology, but about ownership and governance of the digital backbone.

Advantage

Thailand is uniquely positioned to emerge as a Neutral Digital Infrastructure Hub in ASEAN:

• Strategic geographic location at the center of ASEAN data flows

• Strong telecom backbone and expanding data center capacity

• High digital adoption across consumers, enterprises, and government

• Balanced geopolitical positioning between major global powers

This allows Thailand to develop a Hybrid Sovereign Model—leveraging global technology while maintaining national control over critical layers.

Additional Structural Advantage

Thailand has the structural potential to design a multi-layered Digital Sovereignty Architecture:

• Data Layer → National data governance, classification, and localization frameworks

• Compute Layer → Sovereign cloud, national AI compute infrastructure, and hyperscale partnerships

• Platform Layer → Integrated national platforms (Digital ID, Payment rails, GovTech APIs)

• Connectivity Layer → Subsea cables, cross-border fiber, and regional data routing control

• Security Layer → Centralized cyber defense, digital threat intelligence, and resilience systems

This enables Thailand to move beyond fragmented policies into a cohesive full-stack digital system.

Implication

Without Digital Sovereignty:

• Thailand risks becoming a data extraction economy with limited value capture

• Critical infrastructure becomes vulnerable to external disruption or geopolitical leverage

• Domestic innovation is constrained by dependency on foreign platforms

• National policy autonomy is reduced in the digital domain

With Digital Sovereignty:

• Thailand becomes a regional digital control node and data hub

• Captures value from ASEAN’s rapidly growing digital economy

• Enables next-generation industries (AI, fintech, smart logistics, GovTech)

• Strengthens national security across cyber and information domains

Strategic Direction

Thailand must transition from a digital consumer → digital infrastructure controller by:

• Building sovereign capabilities in cloud, data governance, and AI compute

• Positioning itself as ASEAN’s neutral digital backbone for data flows and infrastructure

• Establishing regulatory frameworks that balance openness with strategic control

• Integrating digital infrastructure into national security and economic strategy

• Leveraging global partnerships without relinquishing control of critical layers

The objective is not isolation—but controlled integration with strategic autonomy.

Sub-Insight Layer