The Board of Investment (BOI) points to the global crisis as an opportunity for Thailand to become a safe manufacturing hub for the world, and proposes that the government promote EVs and chips.

The Board of Investment (BOI) points to the global crisis as an opportunity for Thailand to become a safe global production hub. It is preparing to propose to the new government ways to attract global investment in electric vehicles (EVs), semiconductors, and clean energy.

March 17, 2569 Mr. Narit Theodsatheerasak Secretary General of the Board of Investment (BOI) revealed that The conflict in the Middle East and global geopolitical volatility are directly impacting businesses worldwide, particularly leading to increased operating costs from rising energy and transportation prices. This includes the risk of raw material shortages and rising prices, and the new world order which will force companies worldwide to seek stable, secure investment sources that can ensure business continuity.

“I view this situation not just as a crisis, but as a significant opportunity for Thailand to elevate its role as a stable and secure production base in the new global economic order. Thailand has a crucial chance to become a Safe and Secure Production Base for the world. We need to find a clear position to make Thailand an indispensable country for the world.”

Mr. Narut continued, "The BII assesses that we have four main strengths:

1. Food security It can become a major food source for the world.
2. Energy security In particular, the development of clean energy is crucial for investment in modern industries.
3. Supply chain stability Because Thailand is a major global manufacturing base, for example, for hard disk drives, which account for 70-80% of global production, and for printed circuit boards (PCBs), where Thailand ranks 5th in the world and 1st in ASEAN.
4. ความย Because Thailand has strengths in medicine and healthcare, which makes it one of the leaders in ASEAN.

Recently, the Board of Investment (BOI) is preparing to propose an important agenda to the new government to maintain a balance in attracting global investment.

1. Moving forward with measures to promote investment in electric vehicles (EVs).
2. Accelerate the development of a comprehensive semiconductor strategy to begin full-scale implementation.
3. Promoting clean energy to support data center investment.

Furthermore, accelerated efforts are being made to address infrastructure limitations, particularly land issues in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), where land is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. This is compounded by the rapidly increasing demand for electricity from data centers, AI systems, and the growing energy needs of the digital industries.

This includes moving forward with the Fast Pass program in collaboration with 8 partner agencies, reducing approval and permit processing times by 20-50%. Sixteen projects, worth 170 billion baht, have already received full approval from the Board of Investment (BOI).

Mr. Narut said that out of 78 investment projects approved by the BOI and currently under monitoring, 35 projects have progressed, with actual investment already made, totaling 100,000 billion baht. Another 30 projects have clear investment plans for this year and next year, totaling 100,000 billion baht. Meanwhile, 13 projects are still facing limitations related to land, permits, or electricity, which the BOI is urgently coordinating with relevant agencies to resolve.

Read news related to the economic situation across Thailand here.