Thailand and Japan deepen industrial partnership around semiconductors, EVs and clean energy

Thailand and Japan are deepening their industrial relationship as both countries reposition supply chains around advanced manufacturing, with Japanese companies submitting more than US$11.72 billion in investment applications across 1,380 projects between 2021 and mid-2026, according to the Thailand Board of Investment. The figure underscores Japan’s continuing importance to Thailand even as Chinese investment has expanded rapidly in recent years.

Key points

• Japanese companies submitted US$11.72bn of investment applications for 1,380 Thailand projects between 2021 and mid-2026.
• Priority areas now include semiconductors, AI computing, advanced electronics, EVs, robotics and renewable energy.
• Thailand and Japan are developing a “BOI to IPO” programme and bilateral carbon-credit cooperation to deepen capital-market and green-finance links.

The latest Thailand-Japan Investment Forum in Bangkok marks a shift from the traditional automotive-centred relationship toward a broader technology and clean-energy partnership. Japanese companies are looking at advanced chips, optical data transmission, AI computing, next-generation vehicles and renewable power, while Thailand is seeking to use Japanese manufacturing expertise to upgrade existing industrial ecosystems.

The strategy also aims to connect foreign investment more closely with Thailand’s domestic capital markets. The BOI and Stock Exchange of Thailand are developing a “BOI to IPO” corridor designed to help Japanese operating subsidiaries and their Thai partners access SET, mai and LiVEx listings. EXIM Thailand is simultaneously expanding green, blue and sustainability-linked financing to support industrial decarbonisation and infrastructure investment.

The industrial relationship is particularly important for Thailand’s automotive sector. Japanese automakers are pursuing a “multi-pathway” strategy that combines hybrids and internal-combustion vehicles with battery EV production, allowing them to adapt to changing consumer demand while maintaining Thailand as a regional export base. At the same time, advanced electronics and semiconductor investment is becoming a larger part of the bilateral relationship.

The challenge for Bangkok is to ensure that the investment applications translate into realised investment, technology transfer and stronger Thai supplier networks. That is especially important as Thailand competes with Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia for the same wave of high-value manufacturing projects. Japanese investors have also emphasised the need for predictable regulation, fair competition and continued productivity gains.

Why it matters: Japanese investment remains one of Thailand’s most important industrial anchors, but its composition is changing. The shift toward semiconductors, AI infrastructure, EVs and clean energy could help Thailand upgrade its manufacturing base—provided the country can turn investment applications into operating projects and connect them to domestic firms.

Thailand Business News: Thailand Business News — Investment Coverage