Foreign investment in Thailand surges 34% as EEC draws over 47 billion baht
Commerce Ministry reports 426 foreign investors entered Thailand in the first five months of 2025, up 34%, with EEC attracting over 47 billion baht and boosting growth in bio-innovation and digital sectors.
Oramon Sapthaweetham, Director-General of the Department of Business Development , reported that foreign investment in Thailand saw a significant increase during the first five months of 2025 (January–May), with 426 foreign entities approved to operate businesses under the Foreign Business Act 1999.
Of the total, 105 foreign investors were granted business operation licences, while 321 were issued certificates of business operation. Combined investment during this period amounted to 88.94 billion baht.
This marked an increase of 109 entities or 34% compared to the same period in 2024, with the total investment value rising by 17.24 billion baht, or 24%.
The top five foreign investor countries in Thailand during this period were:
Japan – 85 entities (20% of total), 41.06 billion baht invested
Japanese investors are primarily engaged in:
- Procurement of raw materials, parts, and components for various industries
- Software development services for sale and/or support
- R&D services for engineering plastics
- Contract manufacturing services
United States – 62 entities (15%), 2.76 billion baht invested
US investment focused on:
- Engineering consulting, design, and advisory services
- Retail businesses
- Services involving inspection, analysis, and quality assessment of gems and jewellery
- Contract manufacturing
China – 53 entities (12%), 7.54 billion baht invested
Chinese investors mainly entered:
- Procurement of industrial materials and components
- EV maintenance and repair services
- Software development services for sale and/or support
- Contract manufacturing
Singapore – 52 entities (12%), 11.43 billion baht invested
Singaporean investment focused on:
- Services related to the design, procurement, installation, testing, training, and consulting on operations of control, monitoring, and data collection systems, particularly for electric railway projects
- Modern logistics and distribution centres
- Digital platform development
- Contract manufacturing services
Hong Kong – 44 entities (10%), 7.48 billion baht invested
Investments from Hong Kong were concentrated in:
- Modern warehousing and logistics centres
- Electric vehicle (EV) charging station services
- Data centres and cloud computing services
- Contract manufacturing
EEC attracts 54% of total foreign investment in early 2025
Foreign interest in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) remains strong. From January to May 2025, 129 foreign investors—representing 30% of total foreign investors in Thailand—chose to invest in the EEC, a 30% increase from the same period in 2024.
Total investment value in the EEC amounted to 47.74 billion baht, accounting for 54% of all foreign direct investment in the first five months of the year.
Breakdown by country:
- Japan: 37 investors, 23.90 billion baht
- China: 30 investors, 4.46 billion baht
- Singapore: 11 investors, 6.02 billion baht
- Other countries: 51 investors, 13.37 billion baht
Key sectors receiving foreign investment in the EEC include:
- Retail
- R&D services for engineering plastic products
- Digital platform development
- Contract manufacturing
- Bio-Innovation, reflecting a global trend in transformative trade and technology
