16 granted BOI privileges
The Board of Investment (BOI) has approved investment privileges for 16 projects worth a combined Bt32 billion, most of them in the automotive and renewable-energy industries.
The BOI is likely to approve incentives for projects worth a combined Bt500 billion this year, exceeding its target of Bt450 billion.
Seven of the 16 are renewable-energy projects and three are automotive enterprises, Industry Minister Wannarat Charnnukul said.
The project with the highest investment value is Jatco (Thailand), a Japanese manufacturer of continuously variable automatic transmissions, with total investment of Bt9 billion. Jatco’s factory at the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate in Chon Buri province has production capacity of 515,000 units. It is the first production facility of its kind in Thailand.
Jatco (Thailand) is the company’s third plant outside Japan, after sites in Mexico and China.
Bangchak Solar Energy has been given the nod for four renewable-energy projects worth a total of Bt3.6 billion, or Bt900 million each. The company’s thin-film solar-cell plants, with combined capacity of 32 megawatts, will generate electricity for sale to the Provincial Electricity Authority. Two projects are in Chaiyaphum province and two are in Ayutthaya.
Linglong Tyre (Thailand), a China-based manufacturer, received incentives for its radial-tyre operation worth Bt2.8 billion with production capacity of 2 million sets per year.
Another auto-related company to enjoy privileges is MMTh Engine, a manufacturer of petrol engines for Mitsubishi’s eco-cars. The company, whose plant is in Laem Chabang Industrial Estate in Chon Buri, has capacity of 149,600 units per year with investment value of Bt2.3 billion.
Dan Chang Bio-Energy, a subsidiary of Mitr Phol Sugar Group, has been granted incentives for its 32MW biofuels power plant worth Bt1.682 billion. The plant is in Suphan Buri province.
Wannarat said the BOI granted investment privileges to projects worth a combined Bt470 billion between January and September. The board expects the total value for this year will reach Bt500 billion, exceeding its target of Bt450 billion.
