NT Secures USTDA Grant for Thailand-US Cable Study

NT Staff, National Telecom
September 14, 2026

National Telecom (NT) has signed a grant agreement with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to assess the feasibility of a new Thailand-US submarine cable system. The Thai operator announced the agreement on September 14, with the proposed system identified as Thailand-US, or THUS.

The USTDA-funded study will help NT evaluate a replacement for existing submarine cable connectivity from Thailand to the United States that is approaching the end of its service life. Its findings will support investment decisions on the new system's budget, cable route and investment structure.

The proposed trans-Pacific system would connect Thailand with the United States through five other Southeast Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. NT describes the project as strategically important to Thailand's digital infrastructure and its position as a regional hub for international connectivity.

NT links the proposed investment to rapidly growing demand for interregional bandwidth, including demand associated with data center construction in Thailand and neighboring markets. The operator says the system would strengthen regional connections to the United States and support the infrastructure needed for expanding digital services.

NT has selected U.S.-based APTelecom to conduct the feasibility study. The company will undertake the assessment across the project's dimensions, providing information for NT to evaluate the proposed cable before making investment decisions. The announcement identifies the study contractor but does not announce a cable supply or installation contract.

The grant agreement was signed by NT's managing director and USTDA Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Thomas R. Hardy. Thailand's minister of digital economy and society presided over the signing at NT headquarters. The agreement establishes support for project assessment rather than announcing construction of the cable.

NT places the initiative within its wider responsibility to develop and manage Thailand's telecommunications and digital infrastructure. It cites growing data requirements from cloud services, data centers, artificial intelligence and other digital services. The next stated step is the feasibility assessment; the announcement does not specify a ready-for-service date.

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