Thailand Hosts Japan Investment Forum to Boost Future Industries
Thailand hosted the Thailand-Japan Investment Forum 2026 in Bangkok, attracting over 700 investors to explore future-industry opportunities as part of the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings. Deputy Prime Minister Ekkanit Nitithanprapas opened the forum, highlighting Thailand’s strategy to attract quality investment in sectors like smart agriculture, electronics, EVs, and clean energy, while leveraging Japanese expertise in AI and sustainable industry. The event underscored Japan’s continued role as a top investor in Thailand, with more than 1,380 projects worth over 396.5 billion baht proposed since 2021.
BOI partnered with JETRO, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), EXIM Bank, Krungsri Bank, and SMBC to hold the Thailand-Japan Investment Forum 2026, drawing more than 700 investors to discuss opportunities in future industries. BOI Secretary-General Niratmeth Teedsathirasak said the forum took place on October 7, 2026, at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok under the theme "Investment Gateway for Sustainable Growth", as part of the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2026.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekkanit Nitithanprapas opened the event, outlining his vision for "Thailand and Japan: Building the Next Chapter of Investment Partnership". He noted that Thailand and Japan have long been economic and industrial partners, and in today’s shifting geopolitical, technological, energy-transition, and ageing-society landscape, both countries have a chance to deepen investment cooperation.
Thailand aims to drive quality-investment-led growth, targeting sectors such as smart agriculture and processed food, smart electronics, future automobiles, health and medical services, quality tourism, retail and logistics, and the creative economy to strengthen its long-term competitiveness. Thailand and Japan can also build on shared strengths in infrastructure, AI technology, and clean energy by encouraging businesses to adopt AI for efficiency and supporting Japan’s expertise in clean-energy development.
Linking investment with financing through the BOI-to-IPO scheme and developing a carbon-credit market will enable Japanese investors to grow in Thailand and use it as a base for sustainable regional expansion. Japan remains a major source of investment for Thailand; from 2021 to mid-2026 Japan submitted over 1,380 promotion applications worth more than 396.5 billion baht, led by semiconductors and electronics, automobiles and parts, and chemicals and petrochemicals.
Looking ahead, Japanese investors can expand into target sectors such as biotechnology and green industries, electric vehicles and key components, advanced semiconductors and electronics, AI and digital technologies, automation and robotics, and international business hubs. Existing operations can be upgraded under the Smart & Sustainable Industry program to adopt modern technology, raise productivity, lessen environmental impact, and increase clean-energy use.
BOI also stresses building a long-term investment ecosystem by developing a workforce suited to industry needs and upgrading supply chains for next-generation industries.
