Thailand is well suited for global investments with strengths and a strategic geographical location to benefit businesses, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday.
Mr Anutin said the country can offer foreign investors an experienced workforce, suppliers, logistics and digital networks and financial services, with a strong base in the automotive, electronics, food, healthcare and tourism industries.
These strengths make up the ‘depth’ that is the country’s key asset, he said in a keynote speech titled ‘Thailand’s Offer to the World’ at the Bangkok Business Summit 2026: Reinvent Thailand, Resilient Asean.
‘Thailand offers depth – not simply a location on the map’, he said.
‘This means an investor can arrive with a new idea and find the partners needed to turn it into a product, bring it to market, and scale it.
‘Thailand is not a blank slate. We already have the industries, services and human networks on which the next economy can be built.’
The forum was organised by the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking. It is part of Thailand’s preparations for hosting the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings in October.
Comprising the Thai Bankers’ Association, Board of Trade of Thailand and the Federation of Thai Industries, the JCCIB plays a key role in shaping national economic policy, advising the government and promoting business competitiveness.
Mr Anutin said the location of the kingdom in the centre of Southeast Asia has made Thailand a regional platform for access to other markets in the region.
Investors can benefit from Thailand’s ‘economic asset’ by working with partners from East and West amid rising tensions in geopolitics, he added.
‘Another strength lies in our ability to bring together industries that are too often developed separately,’ he said.
The prime minister said the global economy is undergoing simultaneous changes in four areas: geopolitics, technology, climate and demographic structure. Therefore, Thailand cannot remain stagnant and must adapt to transform challenges into opportunities for building a stronger, more competitive and resilient nation.
‘Longevity economy’
While Thailand has become an ageing society, he dismissed this as a weakness and said the government can tap benefits by turning a challenge into an opportunity.
‘Thailand can build a ‘longevity economy’ in which people remain healthy, skilled, economically active and connected throughout their lives, while creating new opportunities in healthcare, wellness, tourism and technology,’ he said.
Thursday’s event was being attended by more that 400 people, including Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, senior executives from the government, domestic and international businesses, and international organisations.
Mr Anutin also emphasised that the government has a duty to make Thailand an attractive and secure investment destination for the long term.
This will be achieved by revising over 7,000 regulations that burden citizens and businesses, and by upgrading standards through OECD membership to build international confidence.
‘Thailand is ready to be more than just a production base or a sales market, but wants to be a partner in building industries that will shape the future,’ he said.