Western Digital has secured approval for a THB2.3 billion ($73.81 million) investment in its Thai facility to advance HAMR HDD technology. The Southeast Asian nation's Board of Investment greenlit the research and development project focused on Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording innovations. This follows Thailand's BOI approval last August for expanding Western Digital's HDD production hub in the region.

The Thai facility will collaborate with Western Digital's North American and Japanese teams on developing HAMR's laser-based data recording process. The local unit will focus on creating key components for the next-generation storage technology. This investment builds on Western Digital's recent Innovation Day 2026 roadmap, which outlined plans for extensive HAMR deployment throughout the decade.

By 2030, Western Digital projects launching 100+ TB drives using HAMR technology, representing a significant leap in data storage density. The Thailand investment positions the country as a critical hub for next-generation HDD development while strengthening Western Digital's competitive position in the enterprise storage market.