PM showcases Thailand’s 3 investment advantages at WEF

Paetongtarn touts agriculture, creative economy, and sustainability sectors to global economic leaders at Davos summit

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra highlighted Thailand’s three key advantages as an investment destination to global leaders at the 55th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday.

Paetongtarn invited foreign investment in the agriculture, creative economy, and sustainability sectors during the Country Strategy Dialogue session.

“Thailand stands out for its strategic location in the region and status as the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, boasting world-class infrastructure and industrial estates,” she said.

Thailand’s first advantage, the PM said, is its strength in agriculture and food production. She highlighted the country’s abundant agricultural resources and status as a leading global food producer and exporter, earning it the title of “Kitchen of the World”.

Paetongtarn said the government is overhauling agriculture with modern technology such as AI, robotics, and precision farming to improve quality, reduce waste, and maximise yields. The tech-driven transformation would ensure the sector is resilient, sustainable, and future-proofed. The government is also driving food innovation to boost Thai cuisine’s reputation as delicious but also sustainable and healthy.

The second advantage was Thailand’s creative economy and global soft-power reach. Paetongtarn emphasised the country’s thriving tourism industry driven by its rich cultural heritage and beautiful natural landscapes.

“Thailand has positioned itself as ‘a destination for stress relief’, where people from around the world can visit to create memories and rejuvenate,” the PM said.

Highlighting wellness tourism, she said the country aims to become a medical and healthcare hub, fuelling economic growth and contributing significantly to GDP.

The country’s third advantage lies in the sustainability sector, driven by the BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) economic model. The government is incentivising green investments and technologies, including electric vehicles and data centres that use renewable energy, she said.

Paetongtarn emphasised Thailand’s aim to increase renewable energy in electricity generation to 50% by 2040, focusing on solar, wind, and biomass energy.

The PM said the government is also increasing investment in physical and digital infrastructure to attract high-tech industries such as cloud computing, data centres, and semiconductors. Meanwhile, the workforce is being upgraded through education, training and upskilling campaigns.

Paetongtarn added that Thailand will maintain international collaborations to achieve global standards in more areas, emphasising the country’s commitment to OECD membership and free trade agreements with key countries and blocs.

(2025/01/24-00:00)