Thailand has set out a national strategy to expand its semiconductor industry, focusing on power semiconductors, sensors, photonics, discrete devices and analog chips, as part of a long-term plan to build a complete value chain.
The direction was outlined at a meeting of the National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Poli-cy Committee on 7 January 2026 presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas.
The committee reviewed a draft National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Strategy, prepared by the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), which sets phased development targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050.
“Thailand is focusing on semiconductor segments where we already have strong infrastructure and supply-chain depth, and the government will align policy, funding and institutional support across agencies to back this strategy,” stated Mr. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) and Secretary of the Semiconductor Board.
Focus on segments aligned with existing strengths
Under the strategy, Thailand will prioritize power, sensor, photonics, discrete and analog semiconduc-tors, which are closely linked to the country’s established electronics manufacturing base and supply chains serving the automotive, energy, data center and industrial sectors.
Demand for these chips is being driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, artificial intelli-gence infrastructure and smart manufacturing, areas where Thailand already hosts major global manu-facturers.
Strategy builds on existing strengths, targets long-term investment and jobs
The draft strategy sets out a long-term direction for Thailand’s semiconductor and advanced electron-ics industry, building on existing strengths while developing new capabilities across the value chain.
Thailand aims to attract more than 2.5 trillion baht ($79 billion) in investment by 2050, develop over 230,000 skilled workers, and establish a fully integrated semiconductor ecosystem, supporting the production of “Made-in-Thailand” chips and strengthening the country’s regional position.
In the near term, the strategy will focus on expanding areas where Thailand already has competitive advantages, including semiconductor assembly and testing, integrated circuit design and advanced electronics manufacturing, while encouraging investment in upstream activities such as wafer fabrica-tion and supporting the emergence of local champions in the industry.
Incentives and policy tools
The strategy is supported by a broad package of incentives and policy measures covering investment, talent, technology, infrastructure and the business environment. These include financial support for capital expenditure and research and development, and expanded workforce development programs delivered through partnerships with international universities and visa schemes.
The plan also includes upgrading national research infrastructure, , including facilities for front-end research, strengthening intellectual property protection, and promoting joint research between universities, startups and industry. Infrastructure measures will focus on the development of dedicated industrial clusters, water and flood management systems, power grid reliability and increased use of clean energy.
Existing base and recent investment
Electronics and electrical products account for around one-quarter of Thailand’s total exports. In 2024, electronics exports reached 1.86 trillion baht ($58.9 billion), while semiconductor exports totalled 436 billion baht ($13.8 billion).
Between 2018 and November 2025, applications for investment promotion in Thailand’s electrical and electronics industry accounted for 1.17 trillion baht ($37.0 billion) across 1,748 projects, accounting for 19% of total promoted investment, making it the largest sector by value.
Investment growth has been driven primarily by printed circuit boards (PCB), semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT), hard disk drives and components, as well as electronic parts used in automotive, medical, telecommunications and smart electronics manufacturing.
Several global semiconductor companies have expanded operations in Thailand, including Germany’s Infineon, U.S.-based Analog Devices, Lumentum and Microchip Technology, and Foxsemicon Integrated Technology, a subsidiary of Taiwan’s Foxconn.
