The partnership brings together Gulf's infrastructure development expertise and growing digital business portfolio with Singtel's leadership in submarine cable infrastructure and services. Both companies will develop and invest in subsea cable assets to support the increasing demand for cloud, AI, data centre and digital services across the region, reflecting a shared commitment to long-term collaboration and value creation.
Mr. Sarath Ratanavadi, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Development, said, "This partnership with Singtel represents an important milestone in Gulf's digital infrastructure strategy. Together, we are creating a platform that strengthens submarine cable connectivity between Thailand and Singapore while supporting Thailand's ambition to become a leading digital and AI economy in Southeast Asia. With our complementary strengths, we aim to build critical infrastructure that enables digital growth and creates long-term value for the economies and communities we serve."
Mr. Yuen Kuan Moon, Group Chief Executive Officer of Singtel, said, "Thailand and Singapore are two of Southeast Asia's most important digital economies. Our partnership with Gulf brings together our expertise in digital infrastructure and submarine cable systems to meet the growing demand for cloud, AI, data centre and digital services. We look forward to deepening submarine cable links between our two countries and supporting the next phase of digital growth and innovation in the region."
As the first initiative under this partnership, the partners will participate in the Vietnam-Thailand-Singapore (VTS) Cable System, creating a new subsea cable link that strengthens Thailand's connectivity to Singapore. Singtel Singapore and Thai associate AIS, the leading telecommunications operators in Singapore and Thailand respectively, would draw on their market expertise, connectivity capabilities and customer reach to support the development and commercialisation of the system.
The VTS Cable System is expected to be operational by 2030, with capital requirements spread out over multiple years. Gulf and Singtel could also consider investing in terrestrial cable systems and other subsea cable systems in the future.Thailand is increasingly attracting investments in data centres, cloud services and digital platforms. As demand for digital and AI infrastructure accelerates, enhanced international connectivity will play a key role in supporting the country's ambition to become a leading digital and AI economy.
The partnership also reinforces Singapore's position as Southeast Asia's premier digital connectivity gateway. By strengthening submarine cable links between two of Southeast Asia's leading digital economies, it will meet the evolving needs of enterprises, cloud providers, hyperscalers and digital platforms seeking resilient, diverse and high-performance connectivity.
This partnership builds on Gulf and Singtel Group's collaborations in Thailand across telecommunications and data centres. It provides a platform for both companies to pursue further opportunities across Southeast Asia, supporting digital investment, innovation and sustainable economic growth in the region.