Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged to boost Thailand’s competitiveness and attract more foreign investment as the country faces major economic and technological challenges.
Speaking at the Bangkok Business Summit 2026 on Thursday, Mr Anutin said the government had a responsibility to make Thailand easier and more predictable for businesses seeking to invest for the long term.
“That means clearer rules, faster decisions, reliable infrastructure, better access to clean energy and digital capacity, and a workforce ready for new industries,” he said.
The forum, held under the theme “Reinvent Thailand, Resilient Asean”, was organised by the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB), which comprises the Thai Bankers’ Association, Board of Trade of Thailand and Federation of Thai Industries.
Mr Anutin said Thailand’s experienced workforce, strong industrial base and location at the heart of Southeast Asia offered advantages to businesses looking to expand in the region.
‘Thailand offers depth – it isn’t just a good location on a map,’ he said.
He identified four major challenges facing Thailand and other countries: a fragmented world, artificial intelligence (AI), climate change and an ageing society.
Thailand must work with countries around the world despite geopolitical divisions and adopt AI and other advanced technologies to improve efficiency and the quality of its workforce, he said.
“Thailand must aspire to be more than simply a user of technologies developed elsewhere,” he added.
Mr Anutin said climate change was forcing businesses to become more forward-looking, while the government needed to turn the ageing society into a ‘longevity economy’, creating opportunities in healthcare, wellness, tourism and technology.
He said Thailand also wanted to move beyond being merely an assembly base, distributor or market towards being a business partner for investors.
‘Thailand is ready to be more than your production base or sales market,” he said. “We want to be your partner in building the industries that will shape the future.”
The government is reviewing more than 7,000 rules and regulations that may unnecessarily burden people and businesses, Mr Anutin said, as part of efforts to make Thailand a more attractive investment destination.
He said investment should also contribute to the wider Thai economy by developing human capital, strengthening local suppliers, training Thai workers, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and creating new knowledge and capabilities.
JSCCIB chairman Payong Srivanich called for closer cooperation between the government and private sector to make Thailand more attractive to global investors.
He urged businesses to identify obstacles to investment and productivity while ensuring small and medium-sized enterprises were not left behind.
“We must identify the obstacles holding back investment and productivity,” he said.