Malaysia is poised to see a remarkable 80% enhancement in its population-per-megawatt ratio by 2030, dropping from over 60,000 people per megawatt to around 14,000. Following closely behind, Thailand and Japan are projected to experience improvements of 70% and 68%, respectively, over the same period.
It’s Not (Just) AI Driving Demand
The growth of data centers in the Asia-Pacific region is primarily fueled by cloud services, OTT platforms, and social media, rather than AI deployments. While AI is still in its early stages in the region, there are indications of potential deployments for inference workloads in the near future.
Malaysia Transforms from Overflow to Primary Destination
Malaysia’s data center sector has witnessed aggressive growth, driven by favorable government policies and strategic advantages such as its geographic proximity to key markets. This transformation has positioned Malaysia as a primary hub for hyperscalers, attracting significant investments from major tech companies.
Thailand Activates Following Hyperscaler Commitments
Thailand is emerging as a key data center destination, with hyperscalers making substantial investments in the country. Despite its current operational capacity, Thailand’s economic potential and supportive government policies are attracting major players in the industry.
Japan Navigates Physical Constraints and High Costs
Japan faces unique challenges in the data center market, including limited availability of large sites and high construction costs. Despite these obstacles, Japan remains a significant player in the Asia-Pacific region, attracting considerable investment and development in the sector.
