Google launches free public high-speed WiFi in Thailand
Google’s Thailand unit on July 18 announced a number of initiatives in the country, among them free high-speed public Wi-Fi, in an effort to enable more Thai consumers and businesses to participate in the growth of the digital economy, The Nation reported.
Ben King, country director of Google Thailand, said at the first-ever held Google for Thailand event that the IT giant’s initiatives would span across four pillars, namely access to digital services, education, content and products of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting equality of digital access.
The highlight of the new services launched was certainly the free public WiFi, called “Google Station,” a high-speed public WiFi programme undertaken in partnership with CAT Telecom and sponsored by Unilever. Thailand is the fourth country to have Google Station, after India, Indonesia and Mexico.
Google Station will start in ten venues across Bangkok and in two provinces, Pichit and Loei, and will be expanded to other parts of the country in the coming months, said Anjali Joshi, vice president of product management.
Currently, locations available for the free WiFi services in Bangkok include Hua Lamphong train station and Mega Bangna shopping mall. To register, people should go to @FreeGoogleStation-CAT WiFi system and enter their mobile number and name.
Among the other new initiatives by Google is Academy Bangkok – A Google Space, which will be designed as a digital skills training facility at True Digital Park in Bang Chak, Bangkok to open later this year.
Google also introduced a new feature, Motorbike Mode, for Google Maps in Thailand. This feature aims at helping Thailand’s 20 million motorcyclists to plan routes taking into account shortcuts and narrow roads that only motorbikes and scooters can take and offers more accurate travel times that reflect motorbike speed.
To support Thailand’s ever-growing Youtube community, YouTube Thailand will relaunch the Youtube Pop-Up Space in Bangkok in November to give Thai creators access to state-of-the-art production facilities.
Google Thailand also unveiled a new data plan in partnership with AIS. It will offer unlimited data packs at 59 baht per month for YouTube Go, an app that allows viewers in Thailand to watch and share YouTube videos even with slow or no Internet connection.
Lastly, Google Thailand announced a collaboration with Siam Commercial Bank to allow small and medium-sized companies to sign up and be verified for Google My Business, a free business listing on Google Search and Google Maps.
King said the initiatives come as Thailand is rapidly growing its digital economy. He showed a projection of digital economic opportunities in Thailand worth $37 billion. Moreover, Thailand is at number five for average peak connection speed, or 106 MB per second. Ranking first is Singapore, followed by Hong Kong, South Korea and Qatar, according to Akamai Technologies.
Google’s Thailand unit on July 18 announced a number of initiatives in the country, among them free high-speed public Wi-Fi, in an effort to enable more Thai consumers and businesses to participate in the growth of the digital economy, The Nation reported. Ben King, country director of Google Thailand, said at the first-ever held Google for Thailand event that the IT giant’s initiatives would span across four pillars, namely access to digital services, education, content and products of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting equality of digital access. The highlight of the new services launched was certainly the free public WiFi,...
Google’s Thailand unit on July 18 announced a number of initiatives in the country, among them free high-speed public Wi-Fi, in an effort to enable more Thai consumers and businesses to participate in the growth of the digital economy, The Nation reported.
Ben King, country director of Google Thailand, said at the first-ever held Google for Thailand event that the IT giant’s initiatives would span across four pillars, namely access to digital services, education, content and products of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting equality of digital access.
The highlight of the new services launched was certainly the free public WiFi, called “Google Station,” a high-speed public WiFi programme undertaken in partnership with CAT Telecom and sponsored by Unilever. Thailand is the fourth country to have Google Station, after India, Indonesia and Mexico.
Google Station will start in ten venues across Bangkok and in two provinces, Pichit and Loei, and will be expanded to other parts of the country in the coming months, said Anjali Joshi, vice president of product management.
Currently, locations available for the free WiFi services in Bangkok include Hua Lamphong train station and Mega Bangna shopping mall. To register, people should go to @FreeGoogleStation-CAT WiFi system and enter their mobile number and name.
Among the other new initiatives by Google is Academy Bangkok – A Google Space, which will be designed as a digital skills training facility at True Digital Park in Bang Chak, Bangkok to open later this year.
Google also introduced a new feature, Motorbike Mode, for Google Maps in Thailand. This feature aims at helping Thailand’s 20 million motorcyclists to plan routes taking into account shortcuts and narrow roads that only motorbikes and scooters can take and offers more accurate travel times that reflect motorbike speed.
To support Thailand’s ever-growing Youtube community, YouTube Thailand will relaunch the Youtube Pop-Up Space in Bangkok in November to give Thai creators access to state-of-the-art production facilities.
Google Thailand also unveiled a new data plan in partnership with AIS. It will offer unlimited data packs at 59 baht per month for YouTube Go, an app that allows viewers in Thailand to watch and share YouTube videos even with slow or no Internet connection.
Lastly, Google Thailand announced a collaboration with Siam Commercial Bank to allow small and medium-sized companies to sign up and be verified for Google My Business, a free business listing on Google Search and Google Maps.
King said the initiatives come as Thailand is rapidly growing its digital economy. He showed a projection of digital economic opportunities in Thailand worth $37 billion. Moreover, Thailand is at number five for average peak connection speed, or 106 MB per second. Ranking first is Singapore, followed by Hong Kong, South Korea and Qatar, according to Akamai Technologies.
