Industry & Retail
From The Report: Thailand 2017
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Economic stability, comparatively well-developed infrastructure and competitive investment incentives have attracted a steady flow of financing to Thailand’s manufacturing sector from both foreign and domestic sources, resulting in one of the strongest manufacturing bases in the ASEAN region and the second-largest economy within the trade block. These investments – made initially in basic industrial areas such as auto manufacturing, simple electronics and food products – have laid the groundwork for future steps up the value chain, while also providing an export-driven stream of revenue for the government to provide further improvements to infrastructure and financial incentives. This chapter contains interviews with Kanit Sangsubhan, Secretary-General, Eastern Economic Corridor Office; Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President and CEO, SCG; and Markus Lorenzini, President and CEO Thailand, Siemens.
Articles from this Chapter
Upwards march: With a raft of well-performing industries, the manufacturing sector is set to move further up the value chain
Attractive incentives: Kanit Sangsubhan, Secretary-General, Eastern Economic Corridor Office, on enhancing connectivity and attracting investorsOBGplus
Interview: Kanit Sangsubhan What industries are being targeted for development in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)? KANIT SANGSUBHAN: There are 10 main industries being promoted as the key driving forces of sustainable economic growth. This entails upgrading five existing industries: automotive; smart electronics; advanced agriculture and biotechnology; food processing; and tourism. Five new industries will also be promoted, including robotics and mechatronics for both industrial and daily life;…
Attractive incentives: Kanit Sangsubhan, Secretary-General, Eastern Economic Corridor Office, on enhancing connectivity and attracting investorsOBGplus
Interview: Kanit Sangsubhan What industries are being targeted for development in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)? KANIT SANGSUBHAN: There are 10 main industries being promoted as the key driving forces of sustainable economic growth. This entails upgrading five existing industries: automotive; smart electronics; advanced agriculture and biotechnology; food processing; and tourism. Five new industries will also be promoted, including robotics and mechatronics for both industrial and daily life;…
Thailand 4.0: The country shifts its industrial capacities to be more value based and innovation drivenOBGplus
The modern industrial world emerged in the late 1700s out of artisanal home workshops and into purpose-built factories with the advent of mechanisation, steam power and water power. Roughly a century later, a second wave of innovation delivered the division of labour and mass production powered by electricity, ushering in what is now referred to as the second industrial revolution, or industry 2.0. Another century went by before industry 3.0 began to take root, with more advanced electronics…
Asserting competitiveness: Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President and CEO, SCG, on innovations and strategies to boost growthOBGplus
Interview: Roongrote Rangsiyopash How would you assess the rate of domestic demand recovery for key industrial products? ROONGROTE RANGSIYOPASH: The performance and outlook for industrial demand in Thailand has been very mixed in recent years. Over the past decade Thailand has gone through several crises, both economically and politically, with the changes in government resulting in policy instability. For the past three years the current government has been trying to bring back stability by formulating…
Asserting competitiveness: Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President and CEO, SCG, on innovations and strategies to boost growthOBGplus
Interview: Roongrote Rangsiyopash How would you assess the rate of domestic demand recovery for key industrial products? ROONGROTE RANGSIYOPASH: The performance and outlook for industrial demand in Thailand has been very mixed in recent years. Over the past decade Thailand has gone through several crises, both economically and politically, with the changes in government resulting in policy instability. For the past three years the current government has been trying to bring back stability by formulating…
Reaping the benefits: Markus Lorenzini, President and CEO Thailand, Siemens, on the importance of international partnerships in developing industryOBGplus
Interview: Markus Lorenzini What role can multinational companies play in developing innovative industries in line with the government’s Thailand 4.0 initiative? MARKUS LORENZINI: Thailand’s government has approved a 20-year digitalisation plan consisting of six focal points: hard infrastructure, soft infrastructure, digital economic acceleration, service infrastructure, digital society and a digital workforce. The plan underlines the importance of digitalisation and the development of Thai…
Reaping the benefits: Markus Lorenzini, President and CEO Thailand, Siemens, on the importance of international partnerships in developing industryOBGplus
Interview: Markus Lorenzini What role can multinational companies play in developing innovative industries in line with the government’s Thailand 4.0 initiative? MARKUS LORENZINI: Thailand’s government has approved a 20-year digitalisation plan consisting of six focal points: hard infrastructure, soft infrastructure, digital economic acceleration, service infrastructure, digital society and a digital workforce. The plan underlines the importance of digitalisation and the development of Thai…
Forward bounce: Thailand holds the top spot for rubber cultivation and the export of related finished goods, but trends may be changingOBGplus
Commercial-scale rubber cultivation began in Thailand in the early 1900s, making the widely-demanded crop one of the first valuable agricultural exports for the country. Rubber farms initially proved to be an efficient supplier of raw product, readying it for shipping for further processing abroad. Over time, the sector continued to expand, both in terms of natural rubber production and in downstream processing applications, to become the world’s premier manufacturer and exporter of rubber…
Forward bounce: Thailand holds the top spot for rubber cultivation and the export of related finished goods, but trends may be changingOBGplus
Commercial-scale rubber cultivation began in Thailand in the early 1900s, making the widely-demanded crop one of the first valuable agricultural exports for the country. Rubber farms initially proved to be an efficient supplier of raw product, readying it for shipping for further processing abroad. Over time, the sector continued to expand, both in terms of natural rubber production and in downstream processing applications, to become the world’s premier manufacturer and exporter of rubber…
Stocking up: Food and beverage, health and beauty, and online platforms are key segments shaping the retail sectorOBGplus
Following a few uncharacteristically slow years for the Thai retail industry, vendors are looking to build on the momentum created in 2016 and continue to expand nationwide sales into the next decade. Boasting the second-largest economy in the ASEAN region and attracting millions of tourists each year, Thailand has developed into a shopping destination not just for the domestic population – which has shown a seemingly insatiable affinity for large shopping malls – but for customers visiting…
Stocking up: Food and beverage, health and beauty, and online platforms are key segments shaping the retail sectorOBGplus
Following a few uncharacteristically slow years for the Thai retail industry, vendors are looking to build on the momentum created in 2016 and continue to expand nationwide sales into the next decade. Boasting the second-largest economy in the ASEAN region and attracting millions of tourists each year, Thailand has developed into a shopping destination not just for the domestic population – which has shown a seemingly insatiable affinity for large shopping malls – but for customers visiting the country from around the globe. Sector Standing As of early 2017 the retail sector has been buoyed by ongoing economic growth; an increased…
Ready, steady: After a slower 2016, numerous developments are rolling outOBGplus
Home to some of the largest malls in Asia, Bangkok has become a haven for shopping enthusiasts with dozens of large, modern complexes operating across the city – oftentimes even on adjacent blocks. As a result of this seemingly insatiable demand for spending, the sector has secured investments from some of Thailand’s biggest companies and wealthiest families. This includes the country’s most prolific mall developer, Central Pattana, which is affiliated with the retail conglomerate Central…
Ready, steady: After a slower 2016, numerous developments are rolling outOBGplus
Home to some of the largest malls in Asia, Bangkok has become a haven for shopping enthusiasts with dozens of large, modern complexes operating across the city – oftentimes even on adjacent blocks. As a result of this seemingly insatiable demand for spending, the sector has secured investments from some of Thailand’s biggest companies and wealthiest families. This includes the country’s most prolific mall developer, Central Pattana, which is affiliated with the retail conglomerate Central…
