BANGKOK: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held one-on-one talks and exchanged views with four leading Chinese companies on Saturday (July 18), namely Xiaomi Corporation, CHANGAN Automobile, InnoLight Technology and Eoptolink Technology. The key points were as follows.
Chinese companies remain interested in expanding investment
The Prime Minister said the meetings with leading Chinese companies showed that they were highly interested in investing in Thailand because of the country’s advantages, including its geopolitical position at the centre of Asean, its ready infrastructure and, in particular, an ecosystem conducive to investment.
These included clean energy, infrastructure, the electricity system, skilled personnel, government facilitation for investors under Thailand FastPass and BOI incentives.
Many companies are already investing in Thailand, and therefore plan to expand their investment.
Companies seeking to invest outside China were also interested in Thailand and considering the country as an investment destination.
Visit aimed at building confidence
“This meeting with Chinese investors was not merely about listening to them; it was about building confidence among businesses that Thailand will be a supportive production base and will help them achieve their ultimate investment goals,” the Prime Minister stressed.
Beyond capital: research and people development
The Prime Minister said that, besides reassuring the private sector, the government had also heard proposals for future cooperation, particularly in R&D.
All four companies agreed that investment was not simply about building factories and using domestic resources, but also about investing in research and development (R&D).
This also included technology transfer and human resource development, underscoring Thailand’s readiness for new industries and AI.
This was consistent with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report stating that Thailand ranked among the world’s top four production bases for the AI industry and was part of the global production chain.
Details of talks with the four companies
- Xiaomi Corporation was represented by Alain Lam, vice-president and chief financial officer. The leading technology company operates in smart devices, the Internet of Things (IoT), AIoT and related products, including Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart-home devices, as well as electric vehicles (EVs). Xiaomi’s EV business currently focuses mainly on production, research and development, and sales in China. Xiaomi recognised Thailand’s role as a leading automotive hub and a strategic market in Southeast Asia.
- CHANGAN Automobile was represented by Zhu Huarong, party secretary and chairman of Chongqing Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. The company is one of China’s four major vehicle manufacturers and a leading state-owned enterprise engaged in automotive production. Its business covers both internal-combustion-engine vehicles and new energy vehicles (NEVs), including EVs and key components. It has production bases, R&D centres and distribution networks in more than 129 countries worldwide. CHANGAN Automobile said it had chosen Thailand for its first overseas production base, in Rayong, to manufacture right-hand-drive EVs for Asean and global markets. The plans also included establishing an international business centre (IBC) and an R&D centre to help make Thailand a hub for the EV industry and high-value businesses.
- InnoLight Technology was represented by Sheng Liu, its executive chairman. The company is one of the world’s leading producers of optical transceiver modules and specialises in the research, development and manufacture of computing equipment. Thailand is its largest overseas production base and an important R&D centre, focusing on the development and production of AI and data-centre applications, while seeking to increase the use of green energy in its main production operations. It reported employing Thai personnel and researchers and said it planned to expand R&D cooperation and increase the use of locally sourced raw materials and components.
- Eoptolink Technology was represented by Gao Guangrong, its executive chairman. The company specialises in designing, manufacturing and selling optical transceivers, a key technology for data centres. It has grown steadily amid demand for AI computing and cloud data centres and is a major Chinese optical-transceiver producer. It is also in the supply chains of leading global technology companies, including Google, Microsoft and Amazon.
Thailand is currently the company’s first and only production base outside China, providing more than 8,000 jobs in Chon Buri and Rayong.
It confirmed to the Thai government that it would expand production capacity and make further investments in Thailand, thereby strengthening the country’s role in the supply chain and supporting sustainable business operations. - The Nation/ANN
