BANGKOK (Jan 29): ByteDance's TikTok will invest 126.8 billion baht (US$3.76 billion, or RM16.51 billion) in Thailand in a data hosting service, the Thai investment board said on Wednesday.

The Chinese firm's investment was made by its Singapore-based unit and would support activities of affiliated companies, with operations slated to begin in 2026, Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) said. It was among US$5 billion of approved new projects announced on Wednesday.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for confirmation.

The move comes as several tech giants plan data centres in the country, Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

Last year, Alphabet Inc's Google said it would invest US$1 billion in Thailand, a year after Amazon Web Services announced a US$5 billion investment in the country over 15 years. Microsoft has also announced it will open its first regional data centre in Thailand.

TikTok's plans "mark a significant step in enhancing Thailand's digital and AI (artificial intelligence) infrastructure," said BOI secretary general Narit Therdsteerasukdi, adding that it helped bring the country closer to its goal of becoming a regional hub.

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