BANGKOK — Rafael Scislowski, who took over as Google Thailand’s country manager two months ago, said the nation’s digital economy is positioned for continued expansion despite broader economic headwinds.
Thailand’s digital economy is projected to reach $56 billion in 2025, a 16% increase from the previous year, making it Southeast Asia’s second-largest, according to the e-Conomy SEA 2025 report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company.
“I am excited to take on this role in Thailand because the digital economy here is growing so quickly,” Scislowski said. “There is still so much opportunity ahead.”
The country of 71 million people has 96.6 million mobile connections, 67.8 million internet users and 56.6 million social media accounts. That infrastructure has attracted investment from global digital service providers and data center operators.
Thailand’s e-commerce sector is the region’s fastest-growing, expected to reach $33 billion in 2025, up 22% from last year. Video commerce has been a major driver, with sellers using video platforms surging 175% to 850,000, making Thailand Southeast Asia’s largest video commerce seller market.
Scislowski outlined three priorities for boosting Thailand’s digital economy: training consumers in digital skills, including free one-year access to the Gemini Pro package for students; strengthening infrastructure through government partnerships; and helping Thai businesses adopt AI and expand internationally.
In 2024, Google announced more than $1 billion in investments to build its first data center and Cloud Region in Thailand, along with TalayLink, a subsea cable connecting Thailand and Australia.
Scislowski acknowledged economic challenges including weak macroeconomic conditions, a tourism slowdown and sluggish domestic consumption. He said Google maintains long-term investments in Thailand and can adapt quickly to changes.
“My acceptance of this position will help reinforce confidence that Google is prepared to support Thailand’s digital transformation,” he said, adding that the company expects to announce new investments in 2026.
Scislowski previously held marketing and sales positions at Procter & Gamble, LEGO Group, Uber and Grab across the Asia-Pacific region. He earned a master’s degree in marketing from the University of Technology Sydney in 2004.
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