Thailand has recorded a sharp increase in foreign direct investment in the first eight months of 2025.
This increase is mainly due to Japanese, American, and Singaporean companies.
In total, 687 foreign investors obtained authorization to operate in the kingdom between January and August, representing a total investment of more than 225.5 billion baht (5.96 billion euros).
Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the Department of Business Development (DBD) at the Ministry of Commerce, confirmed that the total value of investment has jumped 125% compared to the same period in 2024.
In addition, the number of foreign companies authorized to invest increased by 28%.
The top five nationalities represented
Thai industry. Photo: ASEAN Now.
The investment was channeled through 181 foreign business license applications and 506 foreign business certificate applications.
The top five investing countries by number of companies are:
Japan (125 companies)
Japan represented the largest share of capital, with an investment of 71.8 billion baht.
Investments have focused on:
- International trade (sourcing for manufacturing)
- Software development services
- The manufacturing of goods, particularly machinery and components for agricultural tractors and recreational vehicles, under contract
Singapore (93 companies)
Singaporean investors have invested 68.5 billion bahts.
The main sectors concerned are:
- Data center services
- Electronic financial and payment systems
- Brokerage/agency services for the trading of digital tokens (particularly those issued by the Ministry of Finance)
United States (105 companies)
US investments reached 3.4 billion bahts, mainly in:
- Brokerage services for hotel reservations and tourism
- Advertising
- Business management consulting
- Subcontracting for the manufacture of specialized electronic parts for vehicles
China (87 companies)
Chinese investors invested 20.8 billion baht.
Notable projects include:
- The supply of raw materials
- Repair and maintenance services for electric vehicles (EVs)
- The subcontracted manufacturing of automated machines and motors for EVs
Hong Kong (74 companies)
Hong Kong invested 12.4 billion baht, focusing on high-value-added services such as:
- Oil drilling in the Gulf of Thailand
- Metal cutting services
- Telecommunication services without their own network
Technology transfer and employment
Offshore oil and gas field in the Gulf of Thailand. Photo: Chatchaiapi – YouTube
Auramon stressed that this wave of foreign business activity is crucial for the transfer of specialized technologies and know-how to the Thai workforce.
Among the specific examples cited, we can mention:
- Expertise in oil drilling
- Maintenance of liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving stations
- Manufacturing processes for EV components
- Advanced warehouse management
The capital influx has also significantly boosted the domestic labor market, with the hiring of Thai nationals by these approved foreign investors increasing by 96% compared to 2024, creating an additional 2,394 jobs.
Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)
Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Photo: The Nation Thailand
The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a strategic area, remains a major attraction for foreign capital, accounting for 33% of the total investment value, or 74.8 billion baht.
The region attracted 197 foreign investors, a 21% increase from the previous year.
The main investors in the EEC were China (48 companies), Japan (47 companies) and Singapore (21 companies).
The main projects in the EEC include:
- Services related to the construction and testing of machines and systems for the construction of jetties and LNG reception and storage stations
- Engineering services for the design of automotive parts
- Data centers and contract manufacturing services for advanced components
In August 2025 alone, 104 companies were authorized to invest, bringing in 66.1 billion baht, with Japanese, Hong Kong, and US investors leading the monthly figures.
Will this trend continue despite the global economic slowdown and border conflict?
- 125% increase in foreign investments (Jan-Aug 2025)
- 225.5 million THB injected by 687 foreign companies.
- Top 3 investors: Japan (71.8B), Singapore (68.5B), China (20.8B).
- +96% jobs created for Thai workers (2,394 positions)
- EEC concentrates 33% of capital, or 74.8 billion THB
See also:
Thailand investment crisis: call for economic overhaul
Crisis in Thailand: Can Anutin revive the economy in four months?
Thailand's economy is experiencing a prolonged K-shaped recovery
Vietnam: the new economic tiger threatening Thailand
Decline in tourism, industrial downturn: Thailand's economy slows down
Source: The Nation Thailand
Prepare your trip to Thailand
Book bus, train, or boat in Thailand
Manage your money while traveling with Wise
If our news, tourist information, or cultural content has been useful to you and you'd like to thank us:
You can follow us on:
Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google News
Or install our app:
Install the Toute la Thaïlande app on your smartphone
1 comment
This is a statistic that contradicts all the pessimistic perspectives and conclusions that have followed one another in the Thai economic world in 2025, and Thailand would be ill-advised, given the current state of its public finances, to refuse these investments, which, it should be noted, are largely coming from the Asian economic sphere, to which the USA should be added, representing 484 companies out of a total of 687, or more than 70%…
European companies therefore appear to be part of a minority that are more hesitant to invest in Thailand at a time when other geo-political problems are weighing down capital originally intended for investment in order to consolidate financial guarantees and in-house production stability of these same European companies in the face of the increasing risk of a major armed conflict with Russia, in view of the situation in Ukraine and the desires and provocations of the past few weeks vis-à-vis NATO territories…
The next challenges for European companies lie in Europe itself.
The era of golden years of a constantly expanding global economy, in a peaceful and secure world, is now a thing of the past, and it is to be feared that the worst is yet to come in the next 5 to 10 years…
Maybe less!!