Bangkok: The Board of Investment (BOI) has approved Isuzu's investment of over 15 billion baht to upgrade its production base and move towards a green industry. Mr. Narut Teodsathirasak, Secretary-General of the BOI, revealed that the working group, authorized by the BOI board, has approved investment promotion for two projects submitted by Isuzu Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd. These projects are under the investment promotion measures to upgrade the automotive industry.
According to Thai News Agency, the investment aims to strengthen Isuzu's production base in Thailand, its main hub for manufacturing and exporting globally. This will be achieved by implementing automation and robotics in production lines, upgrading pickup truck production technology to meet Euro 6 standards, and increasing the use of clean energy in the factories. The investment will allow the company to enhance its production lines to increase efficiency through automation and robotics in key manufacturing processes, including chassis welding, body assembly, painting, and full vehicle assembly.
Isuzu Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of pickup trucks and commercial vehicles in Thailand. The company first invested in establishing a truck production base in 1963 and has continuously expanded its investment. It relocated its pickup truck production base from Japan to Thailand in 2002 and later moved its research and development operations for pickup trucks to Thailand in 2010. Currently, it operates two assembly plants: the Samut Prakan plant in Samut Prakan province and the Gateway plant in Chachoengsao province, employing over 6,000 people.
The automotive and parts industry is one of Thailand's key industries, accounting for over 10% of GDP and serving as a major employment base, with over 2,500 companies in the supply chain employing more than 800,000 people. By 2025, Thailand is projected to produce over 1.45 million vehicles and export over 935,000 finished vehicles, reflecting its role as a major global hub for automotive production and export amidst the transition to modern automotive technology.
The BOI continues to support the upgrading of the automotive industry, including investments in improving production efficiency with automation, robotics, and digital technology; developing human resources with knowledge and skills in new technologies; developing automotive products that comply with international environmental and safety standards; and further developing towards electric vehicles.