Google executive heaps praise on Thai startup ecosystem

Thailand doesn’t have the biggest startup ecosystem in the region, but it has one of the world’s most vibrant ecosystems, bursting with potential based on its diversity and bold ideas, an executive with Google for Startups told the Thailand-based Techsauce website last week.

“Thailand is one of the most exciting ecosystems in the world, not just in Asia,” Google for Startups Partnership Manager Mike Kim told Techsauce in an exclusive interview.

“My hope is that moving forward it will become a global hub. I don’t want Bangkok just to be known as an Asian startup hub. I think it has an opportunity to become a global hub,” Kim said. He added, however, that Thailand must continue to widen its already open doors to global startup founders.

Kim said Thailand’s strength is that its digital entrepreneurs show bold thinking. Also, the Kingdom does draw talent from the region and the world because of its location and appeal.

“One of the most unique things about Bangkok is that it attracts founders from all over Asia … you’ll have investors from Singapore and engineers from India. It is the meeting point for entrepreneurs to come together and build global products. So when we were looking at the ecosystem, we thought it was one of the best,” Kim said.

The World Bank said in a report released last week that when it comes to digital development “Thailand’s strategy stands out as potentially the widest in scope and coverage (among the countries of Southeast Asia) with broad objectives aimed at facilitating the development of the entire digital economy.”

“Thailand’s plan strikes a balance in efforts to develop its homegrown industry and close partnership with foreign investors to further develop its domestic market,” the Bank said.