Foreign investment in Thailand reached approximately 89 billion baht in the first five months of the year, with Japan leading the way with over 41 billion baht invested, according to the Department of Business Development (DoBD).
From January to May, the total foreign capital inflow was 88.94 billion baht, representing a 17.2 billion baht increase or 24% growth compared to the same period last year. Japan remained the top investor, followed by Singapore and China. These figures indicate a positive outlook for foreign investment, challenging some negative reports.
Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the DoBD, noted that Thailand continues to attract foreign investors, with 426 foreign entities authorized to operate businesses under the Foreign Business Act.
Of these, 105 companies acquired foreign business operation licenses, while 321 were approved through special investment channels, including incentives from the Board of Investment, industrial estate laws, and international agreements.
In the first five months, Japanese companies invested 41 billion baht in activities such as raw materials procurement, machinery, software development, and services. Meanwhile, Singaporean firms invested 11.4 billion baht in design, procurement, installation, testing, and operational consulting for rail transit control systems and digital platforms. Chinese companies contributed 7.54 billion baht, primarily in wholesale industrial parts like metallic components, vehicle parts manufacturing, electrical appliances, and eco-friendly packaging.
Ms. Auramon highlighted that the presence of foreign businesses has facilitated the transfer of specialized knowledge and technology, especially benefiting Thailand’s tech sector, which in turn could further stimulate economic growth.
Interest in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) also continued to grow in the first half of the year. The department reported that 129 foreign entities invested in the EEC, a 30-investor increase from the same period last year. Total investments in the region reached 47.7 billion baht, constituting 54% of the country’s total foreign investment.
Top investors in the EEC include Japan with 37 projects worth 23.9 billion baht, China with 30 projects totaling 4.4 billion baht, Singapore with 11 projects valued at 6.02 billion baht, and other countries with 51 projects amounting to 13.37 billion baht.
