From 26-28 January 2026, Mr. Wimon Punkong, Deputy Executive Director (Academic) of the International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD), together with a team of researchers, visited Malaysia to conduct interviews as part of a study on Establishing and Developing Sustainable Data Centers in Thailand and ASEAN, under the research project “Adaptation Strategies of Thailand and ASEAN to the Global Economic Trends: the Case Studies of the Digital Economy and Green Economy.”

During the visit, the research team paid a courtesy call on H.E. Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Kuala Lumpur, and held academic discussions with key stakeholders and experts related to Malaysia’s Data Center industry, including:

• Khazanah Research Institute – a Malaysian research institute with a role in public policy research and national issues.
• Mr. Charles Santiago, former Member of Malaysia Parliament, together with representatives from Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN).
• Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) – an agency that has roles in advancing technological partnership and connecting stakeholders from the government and industry in Malaysia.
• Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Ministry of Digital – a key agency driving Malaysia’s digital economy.
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) – The National University of Malaysia, represented by Dr. Mohd Fahmi Ghazali from the Faculty of Economics and Management.
• Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) – a distinguished and long-established think tank in Malaysia.
• Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) – Malaysia’s investment promotion agency, together with representatives from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).

Currently, ASEAN has become a major destination for Data Center investment. Malaysia’s Data Center industry is expanding rapidly due to investment promotion policies, spillover investments relocating from Singapore, the availability of land, and lower costs.

The information and insights gained from these interviews mark an important step in building knowledge and policy directions. They will enable Thailand and ASEAN to harness opportunities from the digital economy while simultaneously fostering a sustainable future through the green economy. This also supports the integration of digital transformation with environmental sustainability via key industries such as the Data Center sector.