[International] Thailand Aims for Self-Made Chips by 2050; Lan Shih-Chi: High Potential for Taiwan-Thailand Cooperation

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin announced the establishment of relevant units to promote industries such as semiconductors and AI, with the goal of achieving "Made in Thailand" semiconductors by 2050. Representative to Thailand Lan Shih-Chi stated today (16th) that he welcomes the Thai government's acceleration of high-tech industry development, and that both Taiwan and Thailand have high potential for cooperation in the semiconductor and high-tech fields. The Bangkok Post reported on the 15th that Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced a new plan to build Thailand into an ASEAN advanced chip manufacturing center, aiming to achieve "Made in Thailand" semiconductors by 2050. He pointed out that the government views semiconductors as an important industry for driving long-term economic growth. Anutin has signed an administrative order to establish the "National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Policy Committee," which will be responsible for formulating policy directions, development goals, and supervising implementation progress. This is one of the measures taken by the authorities to expand the semiconductor industry. The Thai government has set a target of attracting 2.5 trillion Thai baht (approximately NT$2.42 trillion) in investment and cultivating over 230,000 highly skilled talents. Representative to Thailand Lan Shih-Chi told CNA in an interview today that the representative office is very pleased to see the Thai government establish a committee to accelerate the development of high-tech industries. He pointed out that in February of this year, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand held four screenings of the documentary "The Mountain Makers" in Bangkok. Many Thai friends learned about Taiwan's semiconductor industry and its ecosystem through the film, which took over 50 years to gradually build. Lan Shih-Chi stated, "Taiwan has accumulated valuable experience in the development of the semiconductor industry and is willing to share it with partners." He added that as Thailand has listed semiconductors as a future policy direction, it will inevitably further strengthen the infrastructure of the technology industry, including talent training and related facilities. This will have a positive impact on Taiwanese businesses in Thailand, facilitating expanded investment and deepening cooperation with Thailand in related fields. Lan Shih-Chi emphasized that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand is willing to assist the Thai government, academia, and business community in connecting with Taiwan to promote exchanges and cooperation. Furthermore, he also told CNA that in addition to semiconductors, the Thai government's recent policy pronouncements also cover areas such as digital technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, clean energy, and biotechnology. These are also key development areas for Taiwan's industries, indicating that "Taiwan and Thailand have considerable potential for cooperation in many future high-tech industries." Regarding Taiwan's role in Thailand's semiconductor layout, Lan Shih-Chi said, "The whole world knows that Taiwan holds a leading position in chip manufacturing. Therefore, when discussing chip industry cooperation, Taiwan is naturally an important partner." According to official data from the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), Taiwan's investment application amount in Thailand in 2024 was 50 billion Thai baht, covering high-value items such as advanced semiconductor equipment and components, PCBs, and smart electronic products. Lan Shih-Chi stated that Taiwan possesses internationally renowned exchange platforms such as COMPUTEX and SEMICON, and welcomes Thailand to utilize these platforms to visit Taiwan for policy and industry development experience. Additionally, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand established the "Taiwan-Thailand Technology Talent Service Platform" last December, aiming to assist in meeting the talent needs after high-tech industry investments are established. Analyzing Thailand's competitiveness in developing the semiconductor industry, Lan Shih-Chi pointed out that Thailand already has a complete manufacturing ecosystem, especially in the automotive and recent electric vehicle industries, coupled with convenient transportation, giving it inherent advantages in manufacturing. However, he also noted that the key to the new wave of high-tech industry competition lies not only in manufacturing infrastructure but also in talent and partnerships. "From the perspectives of diversified development, technological exchange, education and training, and willingness to cooperate, Taiwan is an important partner worth cooperating with."(Editor: Shen Chen-chiang)