Singtel Group and Thailand’s Gulf Development have agreed to participate in the Vietnam-Thailand-Singapore (VTS) submarine cable project, which is the first initiative to kick off a newly forged strategic partnership between the two companies.
In a joint statement on Thursday, the two companies announced that their latest partnership is specifically geared toward establishing new submarine cable connectivity between Singapore and Thailand. They also plan to develop additional subsea cable assets to support the growing demand for cloud, AI, data center and digital services in the region. Investment in terrestrial cable systems may also be considered in the future.
The partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to long-term collaboration and value creation, building critical infrastructure that enables digital growth and creates lasting value for the economies they serve across Southeast Asia.
“We look forward to deepening submarine cable links between our two countries and supporting the next phase of digital growth and innovation in the region,” said Singtel’s Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon.
Fortifying Thailand-Singapore digital corridor
The VTS cable system was first announced in April 2024, with Singtel and Viettel joining forces to develop what is expected to be the “shortest route connecting Vietnam directly to the largest digital hub in Southeast Asia.” The subsea cable system is designed with an eight-fiber pair configuration (8FP). It was initially scheduled to go online in Q2 of 2027.
While the main trunk of the VTS cable system connects Vietnam and Singapore directly, the proposed cable will have landing stations in Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia.
The latest partnership between Singtel and Gulf Development will see the construction of the Thailand segment of the VTS cable system.
According to Singtel and Gulf Development, the capital requirements for the VTS cable system will be spread out over several years. Singtel Singapore and its Thai subsidiary, AIS, will use their knowledge of the market, connectivity capabilities and customer reach to support the development and commercialization of the system. The system is expected to be operational by 2030.
