At the ACMA Business Forum 2025: “Now or Never – Breaking Thailand’s Stagnation,” Mr. Kobsak Pootrakool, Vice President of the Thai Listed Companies Association, delivered an opening address stressing the urgency of overcoming economic stagnation and preparing for a new wave of growth.
He highlighted that Thailand’s GDP growth has slowed significantly, hovering around 2.2% since the COVID-19 pandemic, while neighboring countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam are rapidly accelerating and could be taking on Thailand soon.
Mr. Kobsak warned that Thailand’s economic core is weakening, eroded by geopolitical challenges. The advantages once gained from Japanese business relocations are fading, leaving Thailand vulnerable to shifting global trends in AI, quantum computing, and humanoid robotics.
He cautioned that if Thailand fails to adapt to this fast-changing global environment, the country risks being left behind. With investment flows increasingly redirected from the U.S., India, and China, he noted that ASEAN—rather than Thailand—may become the preferred destination for capital.
According to the Board of Investment of Thailand’s data, applications for investment promotion are at a record high this year, particularly in sectors such as electric vehicles (EVs) and BCG (biotech). The inflows are evident from several reports that funds are now withdrawing from China at a transcendent pace and amount. However, he emphasized that Thailand must transform into an international business hub to attract multinational corporations and new unicorns.
With global economic power increasingly divided between the U.S. and China, each country is pressuring others to take sides. The Bank of Thailand suggested that Thailand should position itself as a neutral middleman, welcoming both U.S. and Chinese investment. By leveraging external conflicts, Thailand could establish itself as a strategic center and lead change in the region.
