Foreign Investment in Thailand Surges 125 per cent in Eight-Month Boom
The 8-month investment total of 225.5bn baht marks a 125% rise on 2024, with Japan, Singapore, and the US leading in high-tech manufacturing and services
- Foreign direct investment in Thailand surged by 125% to over 225.5 billion baht in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period in the previous year.
- The investment boom was primarily led by companies from Japan, Singapore, and the United States, with Japan being the top investor by capital at 71.8 billion baht.
- Investment was heavily focused on sectors like manufacturing, data centers, and electric vehicle components, with the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) attracting a third of the total capital.
Thailand has recorded a massive surge in foreign direct investment during the first eight months of 2025, driven primarily by companies from Japan, the United States, and Singapore.
A total of 687 foreign investors were granted permission to operate in the kingdom between January and August, representing a total investment value of over 225.5 billion baht.
Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the Department of Business Development (DBD) at the Ministry of Commerce, confirmed that the total investment value had soared by 125 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
Furthermore, the number of foreign firms authorised to invest increased by 28 per cent.
The Top Five Nationalities
The investment was channelled through 181 foreign business licence applications and 506 requests for foreign business certificates.
The top five investing nations by number of companies are:
Japan (125 companies): Japan accounted for the largest portion of capital, investing 71.8 billion baht. Investment was concentrated in international trade (sourcing for manufacturing), software development services, and contract manufacturing for goods, including machinery and components for agricultural tractors and motorhomes.
Singapore (93 companies): Investors from Singapore committed 68.5 billion baht. Key sectors included Data Centre services, electronic financial and payment systems, and brokerage/agency services for trading Digital Tokens (specifically those issued by the Ministry of Finance).
United States (105 companies): US investment reached 3.4 billion baht, focusing on brokerage for hotel bookings and tourism, advertising, business management consulting, and contract manufacturing for specialised electronic vehicle parts.
China (87 companies): Chinese investors committed 20.8 billion baht. Notable projects include raw material procurement, repair and maintenance services for electric vehicles (EVs), and contract manufacturing for automated machinery and EV motors.
Hong Kong (74 companies): Hong Kong invested 12.4 billion baht, focusing on high-value services such as petroleum drilling in the Gulf of Thailand, metal cutting services, and non-network-owning telecommunications services.
Technology Transfer and Employment
Auramon emphasised that this wave of foreign business activity is crucial for the transfer of specialised technology and know-how to the Thai workforce.
Specific examples cited include expertise in petroleum drilling, maintenance of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) receiving stations, EV component manufacturing processes, and advanced warehouse management.
The influx of capital has also significantly boosted the domestic labour market, with the hiring of Thai nationals by these licensed foreign investors increasing by 96 per cent compared to 2024, creating an additional 2,394 jobs.
Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)
The strategic Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) remains a major magnet for foreign capital, accounting for 33 per cent of the total investment value, or 74.8 billion baht.
The region attracted 197 foreign investors, a 21 per cent increase year-on-year. Top investors in the EEC were led by China (48 firms), Japan (47 firms), and Singapore (21 firms).
Key projects in the EEC include:
- Services related to the construction and testing of machinery and systems for pier construction and LNG receiving and storage stations.
- Engineering services for designing vehicle parts.
- Data Centre and contract manufacturing services for advanced components.
In August 2025 alone, 104 firms were authorised to invest, bringing in 66.1 billion baht, with Japanese, Hong Kong, and US investors leading the monthly figures.
