Bangkok: The government revealed that in January 2026, 113 foreign companies invested in Thailand under the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 (1999), marking an increase of 10%, with an investment value of 33,779 million baht, an increase of 46%. This created 262 jobs for Thai people, an increase of 15%.

According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Airin Phanrit, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, reported that the permissions were granted to 113 foreign investors to conduct business in Thailand. These investments included 24 through the application for foreign business licenses and 89 through the application for foreign business certificates. The investments were made possible through investment promotion laws, permits under the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand law, or rights under international treaties or agreements.

The top five countries contributing to foreign investment were China, Japan, the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. China led the way with 26 companies, representing 23% of all foreign businesses in Thailand, investing 5,390 million baht in various sectors. Japan followed with 25 companies, contributing 15,315 million baht to the economy. The United States had 16 companies investing 420 million baht, while Singapore and Hong Kong had 12 and 10 companies respectively, with investments of 5,513 million baht and 587 million baht.

The majority of these investments, totaling 17,226 million baht, were made by 55 companies under the Board of Investment (BOI) law. This aligns with the government's policy to attract foreign investment by focusing on future industries such as advanced technology, digital technology, AI, electric vehicles, clean energy, and agro-food. The top business types granted permits through the BOI included contract manufacturing services, high-value services, and computer services.