Thailand has a 20+ year foundation in photonics technology, from NECTEC's 1993 research to established manufacturing by companies like Fabrinet, Lumentum, and the Thai firm Photonics Science. AI-driven data center demand is now revitalizing this sector as optical systems overcome electronic bandwidth/heat limits. Silicon photonics and photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are becoming critical infrastructure, positioning Thailand to move beyond manufacturing into IP development and higher-value roles in the global photonics supply chain.