Unlocking Thailand’s sustainable future with data

Thailand has set ambitious digital transformation targets, with its digital economy expected to contribute 50% of the GDP by 2030 under the Thailand 4.0 Strategy. This growth will be accompanied by a surge in data generation, with the data center market projected to more than double from US$1.56 billion in 2024 to US$3.19 billion by 2030.

However, a hidden challenge persists: data waste. Up to 68% of stored data is single-use, resulting in a significant underutilization of data, which in turn drives operational inefficiencies, costs, and energy consumption. Data complexity and fragmentation further exacerbate the issue. With data being generated from multiple sources, many organizations struggle to gain a holistic view of their data footprint for effective data management.

Recognizing the need for more sustainable growth, Thailand has increased its greenhouse gas reduction target from 20% to 30% by 2030. This increasing focus on sustainability places businesses under greater scrutiny to assess and mitigate their carbon footprints, particularly within their expanding IT environments.

Data Minimalism: The Way Towards a Greener Future

Data minimalism is emerging as a systematic and effective strategy to tackle inefficient and wasteful data accumulation. Implementing this approach can help Thai businesses bridge the gap between digital transformation and sustainability, optimizing and aligning their operations with the country’s broader climate goals.

Organizations can adopt the following strategies to cut data wastage and streamline storage:

Comprehensive Visibility: To effectively manage data, organizations must have a comprehensive understanding of the amount, nature and location of their data. Visibility across on-premises and cloud environments is essential.

Categorization and Prioritization: Once data visibility is achieved, organizations can categorize and prioritize their data. Distinguishing between necessary and unnecessary data is key to meeting governance and sustainability standards.

Cloud Migration and Optimization: Organizations should embrace cloud-based solutions and explore data migration and tiering opportunities. Cloud providers often prioritize energy-efficient infrastructure, offering scalability and flexibility while cutting the carbon footprint of data storage.

Data Compression and Deduplication: Organizations should use data compression and deduplication techniques to boost storage efficiency. Removing redundant copies and compressing data can dramatically cut storage needs.

Building a Sustainable Future with An Intelligent Data Infrastructure

At a time when economic pressures and sustainability directives are shaping business strategies, redefining data management is no longer optional—it is essential.

Thailand’s sustainability efforts go beyond government policies—they represent a collective responsibility for businesses across all sectors to rethink how they manage and leverage data.

The key to sustainability is not to downsize data or to ask people to make do with less. On the contrary, big data—coupled with those advancements in AI—have the potential to unlock solutions for many of the most pressing and urgent sustainability challenges we face. As such, Thai businesses must look at building an intelligent data infrastructure—one that seamlessly integrates efficiency, security, and sustainability.

There is no doubt that data will define our future, and the choices we make as business leaders will determine its impact. By prioritizing intelligent data infrastructure and adopting data minimalism, organizations can continue to build up long-term growth whilst keeping sustainability at the core of their operations. Through collective efforts across the public and private sectors, we will be able to position Thailand at the forefront of a digital and green economy in Asia.

Unnop Wadithee, Country Manager, NetApp Thailand