Chinese firms the biggest investors in Thailand during 2024

Chinese firms accounted for more than 42 per cent of the 981.65 billion baht total investment by foreign entities in Thailand as of December 31, 2024, according to the Department of Business Development.

A total of 30,075 firms invested 415.58 billion baht, in a range of sectors from properties, services, restaurants and retail. However, only a few businesses have Chinese entities with shareholding over 50% of registered capital. They included restaurants (62.84%), and vegetable and fruit wholesalers (54.60%).

Here are the top 10 businesses Chinese entities were interested in:
Property: Invested 25.01 billion baht, accounting for 31.42% of total registered capital
Building construction: Invested 6.53 billion baht – 39.29% of total registered capital
Machine wholesale: Invested 3.01 billion baht – 46.32% of total registered capital
Restaurant: Invested 3 billion baht – 62.84% of total registered capital
Property agent: Invested 2.68 billion baht – 46.17% of total registered capital
Vegetable and fruit wholesale: Invested 2.49 billion baht – 54.60% of total registered capital
Product wholesale: Invested 1.23 billion baht – 47.58% of total registered capital
Tour operator: Invested 1.11 billion baht – 37.83% of total registered capital
Product wholesale under contract: Invested 1.03 billion baht – 47.25% of total registered capital
 Online retail: Invested 655.86 million baht – 28.87% of total registered capital

(2025/01/22-00:00)