Chinese investment fuels Thailand's ambition as global export gateway: Thai official
Initiated in 2017, the EEC is Thailand's flagship area-based development project, designed to transform three eastern provinces into a leading economic zone for high-tech industries through massive infrastructure upgrades and attractive investment incentives.
As a key foreign investor, Chinese firms have brought higher-value, more complex, and novel technologies to Thailand, marking a significant strategic shift away from traditional manufacturing, said Chula Sukmanop, secretary-general of the EEC Office.
The emergence of "advanced Chinese technologies made in Thailand" has strengthened the kingdom's goal to be a gateway for exporting high-tech products globally, Chula told Xinhua in a recent interview.
This trend is most evident in the automotive industry, where leading Chinese brands, including BYD, Changan, GAC Aion, Great Wall Motor, and MG, have established production facilities within the EEC to serve both domestic Thai markets and export destinations.
Beyond car manufacturing, Chinese investment has developed the entire supply chain and infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs), encompassing batteries, charging stations, energy storage, and related components, Chula noted.
Thailand's Board of Investment has so far approved investments totalling 137.7 billion baht ($4.25 billion) in the EV supply chain, including 21 projects for battery EV production with a combined capacity of up to 386,000 units per year.
For the first half of 2025, production of passenger battery EVs increased 380% year-on-year to 23,798 units, accounting for 3.28% of total auto manufacturing in Thailand, data from the Federation of Thai Industries showed.
Under the Thai government's investment promotion, the country aims to convert 30% of its annual auto production to zero-emission vehicles by 2030 as part of its transition toward green mobility.
Aside from the automotive sector, Chula said two other areas of interest for Chinese investors that also align with the government's targeted industries are the digital technology sector and the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy, which focuses on sustainable and circular manufacturing.
Looking ahead, Chula emphasised that Thailand aims to be a strategic partner for China, filling gaps and providing a platform to showcase its advanced technology, building on the golden jubilee of Thai-Sino diplomatic relations and a strong people-to-people connection.
The goal includes expanding cooperation in the broader environmentally friendly mode of transport, ranging from electric buses, trucks, and railways to the development of "green ports" with electric-based operations, many of which are expected to utilise technologies originating from China, he said.
With China's substantial investment in research and development, he expressed hope that Thailand will become an ideal ground where "research-based technology" can be transformed into commercial products for the global market. - Xinhua
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