UK wants Thai investors for modern industry plans
During an exclusive interview with the Bangkok Post early this month, Rhiannon Harries, the UK's Deputy Trade Commissioner for the Asia Pacific (Southeast Asia), said the strategy is intended to ease business entry and offer long-term investment certainty -- particularly for Thai firms looking to establish or expand their presence in the UK.
Launched on June 23, the strategy outlines the UK's ambitions to become a global leader in eight industries of the future: advanced manufacturing; clean energy; creative industries; defence; digital and technologies; financial services; life sciences; and professional and business services.
Ms Harries emphasised that the initiative is designed to reduce investment barriers and streamline regulatory processes. "The UK is open for business with Thailand," she said. "We want to work with Thai investors to deliver long-term growth across strategic sectors."
The strategy includes concrete measures to address longstanding bottlenecks. For instance, to support Thai investment in grid infrastructure, the UK government will introduce a new connection accelerator service by the end of the year to speed up access to the national grid. Simultaneously, the energy regulator Ofgem is reviewing the entire grid connection process to enhance efficiency.
The UK's Planning and Infrastructure Bill will further support these efforts by allowing the government to designate key strategic documents, such as the Industrial Strategy, to guide infrastructure approvals. This includes reserving grid capacity for priority projects and cutting wait times for major investments.
Ms Harries noted that planning delays and regulatory burdens have often discouraged investment. To mitigate this, the UK will hire more planning inspectors and simplify planning permission processes -- while ensuring environmental obligations are met. The UK government also plans to spend £1.2 billion (52.1 billion baht) annually by 2028–2029 on skills development, including training 6,000 new construction workers.
Other supportive policies include reducing electricity costs by up to 25% for energy-intensive industries by 2027 and improving access to skilled talent through global talent schemes and visa reforms.
Thai investors have already made significant inroads in the UK's clean energy sector. With the UK holding the largest offshore wind market in Europe, the strategy aims to double investments in clean energy, expanding into hydrogen, carbon capture, and civil nuclear power.
A £1 billion clean energy supply chain fund and a £2.5 billion investment in small modular reactors (SMRs) have been pledged, she said.
In the digital sector, another area of Thai interest, the UK will invest £2 billion in artificial intelligence. A new AI Growth Zone will be established to accelerate investment in digital technologies nationwide.
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