Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, CEO of Pay Solutions, has issued an open letter to Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, urging a critical review of the impact of foreign investments in Thailand's digital sector, particularly in Data Centers and other digital services. Pawoot questions the actual benefits these investments bring to Thailand, as much of the revenue flows back to foreign tech companies.

He highlights that Data Centers, while capital-intensive, mainly involve infrastructure spending and server purchases, with minimal local employment and management handled by foreign personnel. Similarly, global digital companies such as Google, Meta, and TikTok collect significant revenue from Thai users, yet report only a fraction of their earnings within Thailand. For example, Thai advertising agencies reportedly paid over 8 billion baht annually to Facebook (Meta), while its reported local revenue was only 463 million baht.

Although the Thai Revenue Department implemented VAT for Electronic Services (VES) to collect taxes from foreign companies, Pawoot estimates that Thais collectively spend over 200 billion baht annually on online services abroad, with more than 100 billion baht subject to VES in 2024.

To address this "digital trade deficit," Pawoot proposes that the government negotiate with foreign investors to ensure:

1. Revenue generated in Thailand is recorded locally.

2. Companies expand their Thai offices and hire more local talent.

3. Knowledge and technology transfer programs empower Thai professionals.

4. Thailand becomes a regional hub for service development.

5. A sustainable ecosystem is built for long-term digital growth.

He warns against being content with superficial investment figures and calls for strategic planning to ensure Thailand reaps substantial and enduring benefits from its digital economy.