Hatari Next Collaborates with Hetone Enterprise to Advance Thailand’s AI Industry and Establish Data Centers

“Hatari Next”, a subsidiary of the large Thai fan manufacturer Hatari, is actively advancing its business and technology development by partnering with Taiwan’s Hetone Enterprise. The aim is to introduce artificial intelligence servers and AI platforms to develop solutions that will help businesses and the nation leverage AI for progress, with future plans to establish data centers.

Vichai Vanavichit, the founder and chairman of Hatari Next, announced that the company has partnered with Taiwan’s Hetone Enterprise to bring in AI servers and platforms, aiming to propel Thailand’s AI technology industry into the Gen-AI era and achieve rapid growth. To this end, the company has chosen to use leading AI servers from Supermicro, a global leader in AI servers listed on the Nasdaq in the United States, with a revenue exceeding 250 billion THB in 2023. Hetone Enterprise, as a representative of world-class AI systems, has become an official global distributor with a network of branches worldwide. Additionally, the Da Vinci Gen-AI intelligent platform from Taiwan’s MediaTek, a leader in Gen-AI innovation, will also be introduced.

“Gen-AI technology is gaining global attention, but its development depends on hardware support, including servers, data centers, and electricity supply. Thailand should develop concrete promotion plans and create its own Thai LLM model to foster domestic AI development; otherwise, it will rely on imports and contribute profits to foreign companies.”

Vichai added that in the first phase, the company will invest 10 billion THB to develop AI solutions for enterprises and organizations, and is studying the feasibility of creating a data center entirely using AI servers, which requires substantial investment. Therefore, collaboration with partners and government support is necessary. Suitable locations for the data center include Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Nakhon Si Thammarat, as these areas have ample electricity, BOI support, and can utilize green and renewable energy. The company also plans to establish an AI academy in collaboration with partners and educational institutions to train AI-skilled personnel, addressing the current shortage of such talent in Thailand.

“Previously, the company developed AI solutions for traffic management and control, with a pilot project in Chonburi province. Future developments will include new AI solutions for emerging businesses. This investment reflects our commitment to benefiting the government, businesses, and the public, aiming to drive economic development and national progress, with the goal of becoming a leading Thai AI technology company.”

Chang Wei-Cheng, chairman of Hetone Enterprise, expressed his pleasure in collaborating with Hatari Next. He believes that their expertise will ensure Hatari Next successfully introduces Gen-AI technology into business and national development in the near future.