The Tamesis
May 20, 2026
Bangkok – Thailand is moving away from heavy reliance on terrestrial internet infrastructure for security “Submarine Cable Sovereignty”warned that regional conflicts and escalating geopolitical tensions could weaken the country’s international communications.
Reporter Panchat Sinsuk revealed when reporting for Krungthep Turakij, Bentida “Nam” SomchaiThe Deputy Minister for Digital Economy and Society (DE) announced the strategic shift after a briefing Colonel Sampachai Huvanandanapresident of state-owned National Telecom (NT).
The ministry is pushing for the restoration of NT as the backbone of the country’s digital infrastructure, particularly to safeguard national security and international connectivity.
Risks of Onshore Dependence
Currently, Thailand faces what policymakers say are serious challenges “Geopolitical risk”. The country relies on terrestrial cross-border networks for 80% of its international Internet traffic, while submarine cables account for only 20%.
With land networks passing through hotly contested or volatile border areas, any conflict with neighboring countries could immediately cut Thailand off from the global economy.
Furthermore, the 20% buffer space provided by underwater routes is extremely fragile; of the country’s seven or eight existing subsea routes, ongoing damage means that only two or three are able to operate at full capacity.
Why submarine cable sovereignty matters
Submarine cables are the invisible arteries of the global economy, carrying more than 95% of international data and financial transactions.
In an era where digital connectivity underpins everyday commerce, governance and defence, “Submarine Cable Sovereignty” Very critical.
Achieving this goal ensures that a country maintains strategic control over its data paths, preventing foreign adversaries from intercepting sensitive communications, damaging physical infrastructure, or cutting off a country from the global internet during geopolitical conflicts.
While the DE ministry acknowledged that investing in submarine infrastructure would cost billions of baht, it insisted that the expense was critical for long-term cybersecurity.
The ministry also plans to consolidate the scattered landing sites in the southern provinces of Songkhla and Satun – some of which are currently encroaching on national parks – under tighter state supervision.
Transforming NT for the digital age
Although NT cannot compete directly with private mobile operators, the government intends to leverage its vast network of property, fiber and state-owned assets. The DE Ministry has ordered the NT to draft specific service frameworks for various public agencies to eliminate redundancies in the country.
Currently, several state-owned enterprises, including the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), hold independent licenses and build overlapping networks.
The Government’s aim is to develop a national policy that would make the Northern Territory the sole custodian of the integrated national network and rights of way.
NT has submitted six high-priority projects to the ministry, including the 1.89 billion baht Public Safety Mobile Network (PSMN) 4G/LTE project phase 1, which is currently awaiting approval from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) for the 850 MHz frequency.
Regional expansion through ADC network
NT has officially launched the Asia Direct Connect Cable (ADC) international subsea network as part of its wider digital strategy. The state-of-the-art cable is more than 9,988 kilometers long and connects key IT centers across Asia, including China (Hong Kong and Guangdong), Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand.
Designed to support the next generation of high-capacity technologies driving the global economy, such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and big data, the ADC network is expected to make Thailand a resilient regional hub for the expanding digital industry.
