Thailand is no longer competing merely to become an electric vehicle assembly base. In 2026, the country’s industrial policy has entered a far more strategic phase — one focused on controlling the upstream EV supply chain.
Accounting & Legal in Thailand
Thailand’s investment promotion regime is entering a new phase. For decades, the country’s industrial policy under the Thailand Board of Investment relied heavily on corporate income tax exemptions, import duty privileges, and non-tax incentives to attract foreign direct investment. However, the launch of the THB 5 billion Competitiveness Enhancement Fund marks a structural policy shift: Thailand is now moving beyond passive investment attraction toward direct state-supported capability building.
Thailand is entering a new phase of investment promotion policy. Under the latest direction introduced by the Thailand Board of Investment (“BOI”), foreign manufacturers seeking enhanced tax incentives will no longer be evaluated solely on production capacity or export potential. Instead, the government is increasingly focusing on whether multinational groups are prepared to relocate strategic business functions into Thailand alongside their manufacturing operations.
