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BOI Thailand
S E P T E M B E R 2018

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
N E W S F R O M T H A I L A N D
An Update on News Impacting Business in Thailand and the ASEAN Region

	The final days of summer are finally upon us, and at BOI we're already ramping up for a busy fall. Here are some of the most recent developments coming out of Thailand the past few months. Thailand has been on a streak of performing well in many international rankings. In a recent Bloomberg Economics' study of volatility, Thailand was ranked the third least volatile emerging market based on four equally ranked criteria: the current-account balance, external debt as a share of GDP, government effectiveness, and inflation. Thailand also jumped from 45th to 32nd in the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index, and ranked as the 10th most popular country for global visitors in 2018. This summer, the Thailand Board of Investment also announced new investment incentive schemes for the "Smart City and Smart Distribution Center". BOI has offered attractive incentives for Smart City investors planning to develop infrastructure, for IT system developers who create, install or provide infrastructure as well as for those who will develop Smart Distribution Center to support the growth in e-commerce and e-logistics. The US Chamber of Commerce will bring U.S. business delegation to Thailand to attend the seminar on "The New Digital Economy: Creating Thailand-U.S. Commercial Opportunities" on September 24th, 2018 in Bangkok, which is organized by the US Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and AmCham Thailand. The event will explore opportunities available to American companies in Thailand across multiple industries including AI, robotics, blockchain, fintech and e-commerce. Below, I've included some interesting news stories regarding the most recent investment activity taking place in Thailand. We hope to connect with you in the coming months. Enjoy! Tanita Sirisup Director Thailand Board of Investment, North America nyc@boi.go.th

THAILAND'S FDI EXPANSION NEWS

	Asia's First Google Learning Center to be Located at "True Digital Park" in Thailand, the Largest Digital Innovation Hub in Southeast Asia that Fully Supports Digital Lifestyles Google announced partnership with True Digital Park, Southeast Asia's largest digital innovation hub, to help people and businesses in Thailand keep up with digital transformation to deliver sustainable success through digital capability.
	Huawei puts B700m into data centres Chinese tech giant Huawei has announced plans to build two data centres at a cost of 700 million baht in Thailand to offer cloud services to public and private customers.
	Forbes Global CEO Conference to be held in Bangkok Forbes Media today announced that it will hold its 18th annual Forbes Global CEO Conference in Bangkok, Thailand from October 30 to 31, 2018.
	Thailand surges 13 spots in World Bank logistics index Thailand's logistics performance has greatly improved this year, thanks to massive investment in transport infrastructure and relevant legal reforms.
	UPS strengthens Asia operations as economies surge UPS has announced network enhancements across Asia following strong company-wide growth in the first half of 2018. The news comes on the heels of the International Monetary Fund's recent global economic outlook that anticipates Asia maintaining its robust performance with growth at 6.5 per cent in 2018-2019, as well the strong growth of public and private investments in Thai infrastructure as the economy develops into the innovation-based Thailand 4.0.
	Alibaba scouting firms to feed apps Alibaba Group is aggressively luring Thai brands and travel operators to its digital platform.
	Aircraft maintenance market takes wing in Southeast Asia Low-cost carriers have changed the face of civil aviation in Asia. In tandem with the rise, the behind-the-scenes market for aircraft maintenance is also changing as companies in countries like Indonesia and Thailand enter the field to challenge the dominance of established Singaporean players.
	Triumph to Provide Thrust Reverser MRO Services for Asiana Airlines Fleet Triumph Group, Inc. (NYSE: TGI) announced that its subsidiary, Triumph Aviation Services Asia, Ltd., has been selected by Asiana Airlines Inc. to provide CF6-80C2 thrust reverser maintenance support and services for its fleet of Boeing 747-400 and 767-300. Triumph Aviation Services Asia is an operating company of Triumph Product Support.
	BMW expanding EV assembly BMW Group Thailand is ready to expand local assembly of electric vehicles (EVs) after the German carmaker was granted investment privileges by the Board of Investment (BoI) on July 25.
	Mercedes-Benz mulls more BoI grants Mercedes-Benz Thailand, the local arm of the German luxury carmaker, is considering other applications under the government's electric vehicle scheme after being granted promotional incentives for plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) from the Board of Investment (BoI).

About BOI

The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) is the investment promotion agency for Thailand that assists foreign investors in identifying business opportunities, providing tax incentives and privileges, and supporting foreign companies seeking to expand into the Asian market. Our services are free of charge and customized to help your business succeed in Thailand.

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