Thai-China forum promotes sustainable investment in Rayong

Thai and Chinese business organisations are strengthening coordination to support investment, regulatory compliance and sustainable cooperation, with a business exchange event on Friday (September 11) bringing together government agencies, investors and local stakeholders.

The Coordination Mechanism for Sustainable Thai-Chinese Business Promotion, comprising the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese Enterprises Association in Thailand, organised the event at Eastpana Hotel under the theme “Business services to promote sustainable investment cooperation”.

The mechanism was established to coordinate assistance for Chinese investors in Thailand and help address problems they encounter while doing business.

The event had four main objectives:

• Advance Thai-Chinese cooperation: Support the implementation of key understandings reached by Thai and Chinese leaders, deepen practical cooperation and strengthen the effectiveness of the business coordination mechanism.
   
• Strengthen local cooperation: Build closer links among the Chinese Embassy, Chinese enterprises in Thailand, Thai government agencies, industrial estate administrators and local communities.
   
• Improve understanding of Thai rules: Help businesses gain accurate information on relevant Thai policies, laws and regulations, with legal compliance regarded as a foundation for sustainable business growth.
   
• Support community engagement: Give businesses a channel to raise concerns and proposals while encouraging cooperation with surrounding communities to create a more sustainable investment and business environment.

Experts and representatives from key Thai agencies also briefed participants on investment incentives, regulations and government services. They included the Board of Investment (BOI), the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), the Department of Employment, the Department of Industrial Works and the Immigration Bureau.

Topics covered investment privileges and compliance requirements, industrial estate services, labour policy, environmental and production safety regulations, immigration policy and reporting requirements for foreign nationals.

Chinese investment brings technology and jobs

Wiboon Supakrapongkul, vice-chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, noted that Chinese investment in Rayong had expanded significantly over the past two to three years.

Citing BOI figures, he noted that more than 110 projects involving investment of over THB35 billion were recorded in the first half of the year. Much of the recent Chinese investment involves technology-led industries, particularly electric vehicles and other emerging technologies.

Wiboon identified unfamiliarity with Thai regulations as one of the difficulties facing some new investors. The coordination mechanism was therefore designed to connect the private sector with relevant government agencies and help businesses understand regulatory requirements.

He pointed to a Thai-China 50th anniversary event held last year as an example of an all-in-one approach. Government agencies responsible for trade and investment were brought together alongside a job fair connecting workers with Chinese companies and an education fair at which Chinese universities offered scholarships to Thai students.

Wiboon expects Chinese investment in Thailand to continue growing, creating more jobs and career opportunities for people in Rayong. He views Thailand as an attractive destination because of its resources, economic potential and close relationship with China, which can make business communication and cooperation easier.

He also stressed the importance of technology transfer, arguing that advanced technology brought by investors should allow Thai workers to develop new knowledge and skills and contribute to the country’s development.

“The strength of Chinese investment lies in its technology, which is highly advanced. We have to acknowledge that China today is bringing various technologies to Thailand and helping Thai people gain more knowledge, so that our country can continue developing together,” he said.

To build sustainable investor confidence, he proposed balancing three areas of benefit: what Thailand gains, what Thai people gain and what investors themselves gain. Bringing those interests together, he argued, would provide the strongest basis for long-term cooperation.

Rayong seeks investment alongside community acceptance

Rayong Governor Traiphop Wongtrairat highlighted that Rayong already hosts major petrochemical, automotive and related industries, with nearly 3,000 factories.

The province is also an important export and logistics base, supported by facilities including Map Ta Phut Port and shipbuilding operations, while industrial expansion has generated substantial local employment.

Investors from Japan, China, Western countries and other markets have established operations in the area. Traiphop expects Chinese companies investing in Rayong to play a growing role in transferring technology and modern innovations to Thai workers, particularly younger employees entering industrial estates.

However, he cautioned that differences in business culture or the impact of industrial development on surrounding areas could create negative sentiment or opposition.

“Businesses should therefore understand Thai laws, regulations and local culture so that we can work and live together happily. Chinese businesses can move forward, while Thai people living around the factories can also enjoy a good quality of life,” he said.

Traiphop also highlighted public concerns over data centres. Investors, he argued, should clearly explain both the benefits and drawbacks of such projects to local communities and outline how potential problems would be addressed.

Development inevitably involves both advantages and disadvantages, he noted, making communication and cooperation with communities essential.

Chinese enterprises highlight jobs and green investment

Chen Hua, vice-president of the Chinese Enterprises Association in Thailand, stressed that Chinese companies entering Thailand were seeking more than opportunities to invest, build factories and expand their businesses. They also wanted to become part of Thai society and the communities surrounding their operations.

She described Rayong as one of the principal destinations for Chinese investment in Thailand and an area where companies have particularly close links with local communities. The 295 Chinese enterprises operating in the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone currently employ more than 70,000 Thai employees in a range of roles.

Chen added that Chinese businesses were placing greater emphasis on green manufacturing, occupational safety and circular resource utilisation.

Zhongce Rubber (Thailand), for example, is developing a 35-megawatt rooftop solar project expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 28,000 tonnes a year, alongside tyre-recycling and other environmental initiatives.

She stressed that corporate social responsibility should extend beyond donations and include creating local employment, developing skills, supporting communities, protecting the environment and building long-term trust with local authorities and residents.

Chinese investors’ voices

Chinese investors used the forum as an opportunity to highlight practical challenges and suggest ways to improve the investment environment in Thailand.

Some investors welcomed support from Thai agencies but called for faster processing of labour-related procedures, BOI certification and environmental approvals to help businesses move forward more efficiently.

Others proposed a comprehensive one-stop service covering the entire investment process, from factory establishment to the start of production, allowing companies to begin operations more quickly.

New investors also called for continued training and guidance on Thai regulations and procedures, saying regular support would help businesses better understand requirements, reduce uncertainty and operate more smoothly.