Bangkok: The government is actively promoting the semiconductor industry as a new economic engine, with the private sector responding positively. Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that under the leadership of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, the government is pushing forward the semiconductor industry to lay the foundation for the future economy, create quality jobs, increase people's income, and enhance the country's long-term competitiveness. Most recently, the Prime Minister signed an order appointing the National Semiconductor Policy Committee as the main mechanism to drive Thailand's semiconductor industry roadmap, aiming to attract investment exceeding 2.5 trillion baht and develop over 230,000 highly skilled personnel by 2050.
According to Thai News Agency, the establishment of the National Semiconductor Policy Committee is not merely about adding another committee, but about creating a central mechanism with a clear responsible party. This will enable the integration of the work of the government, private sector, educational institutions, and foreign investors to move forward in the same direction, including investment promotion, human resource development, research and development, infrastructure development, and connecting Thailand into global supply chains.
The Prime Minister sees semiconductors as essential to the modern economy, as they are the building blocks of crucial technologies used in daily life, including electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, data centers, automation, medical devices, and modern electronics. Therefore, establishing a semiconductor industrial base in Thailand is not just about attracting investment, but about creating opportunities for Thais to have higher-paying jobs, acquire skills in demand globally, and ensure long-term economic stability for the country, Ms. Rachada emphasized.
Ms. Rachada also highlighted that investment signals in semiconductor-related industries show a continuous growth trend. Data on investment promotion for 2025 indicates that the electronics and electrical appliance industry group had investment promotion applications valued at 277,645 million baht, ranking second in the country after the digital industry. Furthermore, in the first quarter of 2026, new investments exceeded 40,456 million baht, reflecting investors' confidence in Thailand's potential.
The government recognizes Thailand's strengths in its electronics industry base, including component manufacturing, assembly, and testing, as well as the existing Thai businesses within the industry supply chain. The current focus is on leveraging this existing base to develop high-technology and innovative industries, creating added value for the economy and opening up opportunities for Thai workers to pursue higher-paying, skilled jobs.
Meanwhile, the private sector, particularly the Federation of Thai Industries, has expressed support for the establishment of the committee, indicating that Thailand's semiconductor industry development approach truly addresses the needs of the manufacturing and business sectors. The government is therefore ready to collaborate with all sectors to attract key investors, develop Thai entrepreneurs, and build human resources to support future industries.