Thailand eyes role of investment gateway

Thailand is ready to serve as an investment gateway for companies in Sichuan province seeking to tap the ASEAN consumer market and as a base for their expansion into global markets, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in Chengdu on Saturday.

Anutin made the remarks at the Thailand-China (Sichuan) Investment and Economic Forum 2026, where he inaugurated the Chengdu office of the Thailand Board of Investment. Serving Sichuan and neighboring Chongqing municipality, the office is the BOI's fourth in China, following those in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Anutin said the new office will provide consultations, facilitate investment projects and coordinate with relevant authorities, helping make the investment process in Thailand as smooth as possible.

Its establishment demonstrates the Thai government's commitment to supporting investors from Sichuan and Chongqing at every stage of their development, he added.

At the forum, Anutin said Sichuan, with a population of more than 80 million, has strengths in clean energy, digital technology, advanced electronics and semiconductors that closely align with Thailand's strategic industries.

In turn, Thailand can offer Sichuan companies access to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations market of more than 700 million people, supported by strong infrastructure and supply chains, clean energy and BOI incentives, he said.

Trade in goods between Sichuan and Thailand reached 41.9 billion yuan ($6.2 billion) in 2025, up 112.5 percent year-on-year, according to the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce. The bilateral trade continued to grow rapidly in the first five months of this year, rising 72.36 percent year-on-year.

Friendly links

Sichuan and Thailand have established five pairs of sister-city relationships and 11 pairs of friendly cooperative relationships at various levels.

Anutin is on a five-day official visit to China from Thursday to Monday, his first since taking office. According to the Thai Foreign Ministry, the visit aims to further strengthen the Thailand-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership by promoting cooperation in science, technology, innovation, artificial intelligence and future industries, while enhancing security cooperation.

His visit to Chengdu followed his attendance at the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai. He landed in Beijing on Sunday after concluding his Chengdu program.

Saravoot Yoovidhya, CEO of Thailand's TCP Group, owner of the Red Bull brand, said the opening of the BOI office reflects deepening cooperation between Thailand and China and has boosted confidence among businesses.

"China has always been one of our most important strategic markets. We not only invest and produce here, but also continue to innovate and grow alongside the Chinese market," he said.

He said TCP's 2-billion-yuan production base in Neijiang, Sichuan, is now fully operational, and the company plans to further expand its production capacity.

Veera Burapachaisri, chairman of Chengdu-based ECI-Metro Engineering Machinery Service, said the company has operated in China for 30 years, attributing its success to the country's vast market, stable policy environment, supportive business climate and skilled workforce.

The forum further strengthened the company's confidence in maintaining its long-term presence in China, he said, while encouraging businesses that have yet to invest in Sichuan to explore opportunities in the province.

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn