Partnership Structure and Cable Architecture
Singtel Group and Gulf Development Public Company Limited (GULF) have formed a joint venture to build and fund the Vietnam–Thailand–Singapore (VTS) Cable System. Through subsidiaries Singtel Singapore and Thai carrier Advanced Info Service (AIS), the two companies are developing a subsea fiber route with a target Ready-for-Service date of 2030.
The project began in April 2024 when Viettel of Vietnam and Singtel signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the VTS system. The design calls for an 8-fiber-pair dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) backbone running through the South China Sea between Vietnamese landing points at Quy Nhon and Da Nang and Singapore facilities at Tuas and Changi. Planned branches extend to Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia.
In September 2026, GULF and Singtel finalized the capital, commercial, and operational framework for the Thailand branch and landing station. A dedicated branching unit diverts fiber pairs westward into the Gulf of Thailand to reach Thailand's Eastern Seaboard at Rayong and Chonburi, where AIS operates the domestic landing infrastructure.
Corporate Partners and Ownership
Gulf Development Public Company Limited
GULF, headquartered in Bangkok and led by CEO Sarath Ratanavadi, ranks among Thailand's largest infrastructure and energy conglomerates (listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand as GULF). The company operates a multi-gigawatt power portfolio and holds digital infrastructure assets including Gulf Edge, a sovereign cloud partner to Google, and a 40.44% controlling stake in AIS.
Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited
AIS (SET: ADVANC) is Thailand's largest mobile network operator, serving more than 40 million subscribers through 5G mobile, fiber broadband, and enterprise digital services. The carrier operates as a joint affiliate with GULF holding 40.44% and Singtel Strategic Investments holding 24.77%. AIS manages Thailand's domestic subsea cable landing stations, backhaul fiber rings, and terrestrial interconnectivity infrastructure.
Regional Infrastructure and Strategic Alignment
Singtel, GULF, and AIS jointly invest in GSA Data Center, which is constructing facilities across Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Chachoengsao. Routing the VTS cable directly into Thailand allows international capacity to feed into GSA campuses without relying on third-party transit routes.
The subsea fiber triangle connecting Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam across the Gulf of Thailand offers hyperscalers such as TikTok, Google, and Microsoft a low-latency alternative to overland Indochina routes and existing congested subsea corridors. The multi-year build schedule toward 2030 aligns subsea capacity delivery with the activation timelines of regional AI compute clusters and cloud availability zones.
The GULF–Singtel partnership transforms the original Vietnam-Singapore Cable System into a multi-landing subsea grid spanning Southeast Asia, positioning Thailand as a regional data center and cloud exchange hub by 2030.