Amidst fierce global competition to attract the semiconductor industry, countries worldwide are rapidly injecting massive budgets and measures to secure positions in the chip supply chain, now a key pillar of the modern economy. Recently, the Thai government has taken a significant step by elevating semiconductor industry promotion to a national policy level.
On 14 Jun 2026 GMT+7, reporters reported that Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed Prime Minister's Office Order No. 192/2569 appointing the “National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Industry Policy Committee,” also known as the “National Semiconductor Board,” to formulate strategy and accelerate Thailand’s emergence as ASEAN’s center for semiconductors and advanced electronics.
The committee includes representatives from government, industry, and experts—from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Industry, the National Economic and Social Development Council, Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Microelectronics Technology Center, as well as delegates from the Federation of Thai Industries, Semiconductor Industry Association, and private sector experts.
The Prime Minister serves as the committee chairman, while Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas serves as vice chairman. Additionally, Narit Therdsteerasak, Secretary-General of the Board of Investment (BOI), acts as committee member and secretary.
The board's establishment forms part of a long-term government strategy to attract 2.5 trillion baht in investment in semiconductor and advanced electronics industries, alongside developing over 230,000 highly skilled personnel.
The ultimate objective is to drive the production of “Made in Thailand” chips. By 2050 (B.E. 2593), this represents an effort to elevate Thailand from a traditional electronics manufacturing base to a significant player in the high-value semiconductor global supply chain.
The government views semiconductor industry development as essential infrastructure for the modern economy, since semiconductors are core components across nearly all targeted sectors—including AI, digital technology, robotics, modern vehicles, clean energy, biotechnology, and medical industries. The market is projected to reach 1 trillion USD by 2030 and will be a new engine enhancing Thailand’s long-term competitiveness.
The new committee’s responsibilities include setting policy directions, master plans, and development goals for the national semiconductor industry; reviewing public sector plans and projects to propose to the Cabinet; and integrating, monitoring, and evaluating the performance of all related agencies.
The committee may also appoint subcommittees or specialized working groups to accelerate key issues such as investment promotion, talent development, R&D, and building the industrial ecosystem essential for the growth of Thailand’s semiconductor sector.
Earlier assessments during the initial BOI roadmap development indicated that although Thailand’s semiconductor industry is in its infancy, opportunities exist to build on existing strengths in infrastructure, human resources, and downstream industries.
Specifically, Thailand has high potential in five chip product groups: Power, Sensor, Photonics, Analog, and Discrete chips. These are widely used in Thailand’s critical industries such as automotive, electronics, telecommunications, data centers, AI technology, automation, and medical sectors—avoiding direct competition with giants like TSMC or Samsung.
The roadmap plans to develop the industry across the full supply chain from upstream to downstream. The first five years will focus on expanding existing capabilities such as chip assembly and testing (OSAT), integrated circuit design (IC Design), and advanced electronics, alongside initiating wafer fabrication investment and fostering Thai entrepreneurs to become local champions driving plan implementation.
Historically, Thailand has been a key electronics manufacturing base in the region, with many multinational companies using it for hard disk drive production, electronic components, and final assembly systems. Several leading semiconductor companies have also established production bases in Thailand.
Currently, Thailand hosts over 50 significant players across the chip manufacturing, assembly and testing (OSAT), specialty semiconductor manufacturing, circuit board production, and upstream material supply segments. The main industry groups are categorized as follows:
1) Global Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDM)
This group produces and develops their own semiconductors, with several leading global companies having established production bases in Thailand.
This group forms a crucial foundation for developing specialized chip technologies that Thailand targets, including Power, Sensor, Analog, and Discrete semiconductors.
2) Chip Assembly and Testing (OSAT) Group
This is Thailand’s strongest competitive advantage today and a globally competitive segment.
Assembly and testing currently generate the highest economic value for Thailand within the semiconductor industry supply chain.
3) Chip Design and R&D (IC Design & R&D) Group
Although still small in number, this group is considered the core of the Made in Thailand chip strategy.
NXP Semiconductors Thailand.
Lumentum is especially notable for bringing photonics semiconductor design and R&D into Thailand, aligning with the national strategy to promote photonics chip development.
4) PCB and IC Substrate Group
This upstream industry is rapidly growing due to AI and advanced packaging trends.
Key investors in Thailand include:
These companies produce advanced printed circuit boards (PCB) and IC substrates, essential components for AI chips and modern data center servers.
5) Electronics Manufacturing and Support Systems Group
Another strong point for Thailand is being a base for electronics manufacturing and advanced assembly systems, including:
These companies play vital roles in producing electronic devices, power systems, communication equipment, and data center devices—all downstream industries that consume large volumes of semiconductors.
6) Storage Ecosystem Group
Although not producing chips directly, this industry has made Thailand a global electronics manufacturing hub.
Both companies use Thailand as a key base for hard disk drive production and are part of the semiconductor ecosystem linked to data center and AI industries.
However, despite Thailand’s strengths in assembly, testing, and downstream electronics, no leading wafer fabrication or front-end manufacturing producers—such as TSMC, Samsung Foundry, Intel Foundry, or GlobalFoundries—have established factories in the country.
Therefore, the government’s “Made in Thailand Chip 2050” goal is not merely to attract more assembly and testing plants but to build a full industrial ecosystem spanning the supply chain to draw investment in wafer fabrication, IC design, and advanced packaging—areas that generate the highest added value in the global semiconductor industry today.
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