Show facts & figures

Thailand ranks as ASEAN's largest vehicle manufacturer and 11th globally. The country's automotive workforce has developed specialised skills over decades of production. The government now offers a three-year 0% tax rate on battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufacturing to accelerate the transition to EVs.

In 2023, Thailand's E&E industry produced $97.94 billion in goods, accounting for 26% of total exports. Notably, Thailand ranked as the world's second-largest Hard Disk Drive exporter in 2022, securing a 22.4% global market share. The sector is now modernising its supply chain to capture a projected doubling of the IoT market by 2028. To support this shift from component assembly to smart electronics, the government offers targeted incentives, including 13-year tax exemptions for high-tech investments.

As the world's largest exporter of cassava starch and second-largest of rice, Thailand's agricultural output is supported by 23.84 million hectares of land under cultivation. The country's biodiversity and agricultural foundation provide a base for biotechnology development.

Year-round agricultural output supports Thailand's food processing sector. The government established Food Innopolis as a dedicated research and development facility and offers a 300% tax deduction on R&D expenditure. The food and beverage sector generated USD 393 million in revenue in 2020.

Medical tourism continues to expand in Thailand. Treatment costs remain accessible compared to Western markets, and over 60 hospitals hold international health accreditation. The wellness tourism sector is valued at over USD 600 million.

Thailand ranks 10th among 63 countries for robot deployment in manufacturing. Robot installations have increased 30% in education and research sectors as companies adapt to automation requirements.

Thailand operates 38 commercial airports and 13 flight training centres. Major aircraft manufacturers have established operations in the country. U-Tapao International Airport in the EEC is being developed as a regional aviation hub.

Thailand ranks 6th globally for healthcare system quality and is ASEAN's largest importer and exporter of medical equipment. Many hospitals hold Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, combining modern technology with competitive pricing.

Thailand is the world’s second-largest producer of bioplastic products, with production capacity of 95,000 metric tonnes of bioplastics annually and plans to expand capacity by an additional 75,000 tonnes per year. The government has set targets of 14 million litres of biodiesel and 11.3 million litres of bioethanol per day by 2036.

The EEC includes EECi (Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation), designed to integrate government, academic institutions, and private sector development of advanced technology.

The Ministry of Defence budget reached THB 124.4 billion in 2020 (4% of the national budget), ranking third in ASEAN. Defence industry research focuses on tanks, armoured vehicles, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, military robotics, communications systems and weapon systems.

The EEC has established partnerships with international institutions. Amata University collaborates with National Taiwan University on Intelligent Manufacturing Systems engineering. Carnegie Mellon University partners with King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) on information technology and computer science programmes. Les Roches from Switzerland offers hospitality and tourism management courses. Education spending reached THB 478.9 billion in 2020. The sector anticipates demand for 470,000 positions over the next five years.