Thai PM Meets Chinese Tech Giants to Attract EV and AI Investment

On July 18, Prime Minister Anuthol Chaoyaviriyakul and the Interior Minister held one-on-one discussions with leading Chinese private companies including Xiaomi Corporation, ChangAn Automobile, Innolight Technology, and Eoptolink Technology at the Tianfu International Convention in Chengdu, China.

According to government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek, the Chinese companies expressed strong interest in expanding their investments in Thailand, recognizing the country's competitive advantages. The Prime Minister noted that Thailand's appeal lies in its geographic location as ASEAN's central hub, robust infrastructure, clean energy systems, skilled workforce, and government facilitation through programs like Thailand FastPass and BOI incentives. Several companies already operating in Thailand plan to expand further, while others looking to diversify outside China have shown interest in Thai investments.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of research and development, technology transfer, and human resource development. All companies agreed that investment extends beyond factory establishment to include R&D and skill-building initiatives. This aligns with IMF findings that Thailand ranks among the world's top four manufacturing bases for AI industries and participates in global supply chains.

Xiaomi Corporation, represented by Vice President and CFO LAM Alain, produces smart devices, IoT products, and electric vehicles, with plans to establish an R&D center for EV design serving the ASEAN region from Thailand. ChangAn Automobile, one of China's four largest automakers, has selected Thailand's Rayong province as its first overseas EV manufacturing base to produce right-hand-drive vehicles for ASEAN and global markets, and is establishing a regional business office.