The Prime Minister urged investors to trust Thailand, highlighting the country’s infrastructure strengths. He announced efforts to improve connectivity in land and rail transport, starting with the Ranong-side port, aiming to link transportation with other countries. The landbridge project appears unlikely to continue.
At 16:00 on 18 July 2026, local time in Chengdu, People's Republic of China (one hour ahead of Thailand) Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul revealed after talks with Chinese investors that Chinese investors have strong confidence in Thailand’s potential, especially its ready infrastructure to support real investment. Transportation and logistics systems are key reasons why investors choose Thailand as a production base.
The business sector desires the government to act swiftly and reduce redundant procedures, which the government has continuously been addressing. “In the current geopolitical situation, Thailand stands out and ranks among the leading industrial production bases.” Regarding transparency policies, the government will not tolerate any petty corruption or bribery, as these are major obstacles undermining investor confidence.
On tourism, the Prime Minister said Thailand has complete natural resources encapsulated by "Sea Sand Sun." The government focuses on building confidence in safety and fairness for tourists, with measures preventing exploitation. He affirmed Thailand’s safety standards are confidently comparable to developed countries.
Later, Anutin answered reporters’ questions about the Landbridge project. He said that project remains a government policy to be further studied, but the priority now is to urgently connect missing links in land infrastructure and rail systems. Thailand is centrally located in ASEAN and uniquely connected to other countries by both land and water routes.
When asked if the government would focus first on the western port, the Prime Minister replied that they are starting by upgrading the deep-sea port on the western side in Ranong province to connect with Chumphon province and land logistics, linking with other countries. He also said the Ministry of Transport is continuously studying this project in parallel to assess cost-effectiveness and suitable investment timing to maximize national benefits.
The reporter added that during the "Prime Minister-Thai Private Sector Luncheon," attended by over 150 Thai private sector executives, Anutin said his visit to China aims clearly to promote bilateral investment. The upcoming meeting with the Chinese Prime Minister on 20 July is expected to yield benefits for Thailand. He thanked everyone who traveled to Chengdu to open the Board of Investment (BOI) office, demonstrating Thailand’s readiness.
He acknowledged that over the past 10-20 years, government officials have been heavily scrutinized. Civil servants are cautious, even being criticized for simply dining briefly with influential figures or accused by fake news. This caution has increased lately. He considers such thinking unfortunate and foolish. The government’s role is to seek cooperation and work with the private sector to build the economy and increase opportunities. Professionalism, transparency, and good governance must guide this partnership. The private sector generates 80% of government revenue, which funds public salaries, investments, and budgets. Fair collaboration and mutual support based on good governance and oversight are essential. He instructed his economic team to remain open and listen.
“Previously, I feared dining and being photographed with figures like Vikrom Kromadit or Supachai Chearavanont would cause accusations of favoritism. Now I’m not afraid. Without them, the government cannot survive. Everyone here creates revenue for the country and helps Thailand gain foreign confidence when they hear your perspectives.”
Anutin added that investors should not view Thailand as a source of cheap labor only; they must come because of Thailand’s geopolitics. While global conflicts intensify, ASEAN remains largely peaceful. Minor issues with neighbors will not disadvantage Thailand or its opportunities. He assured investors not to worry about problems with neighbors, emphasizing Thailand’s central ASEAN location with versatile access north, south, east, and west.
“We will not rush the landbridge project now. Where would the funding come from? Recently, in meetings with industry and commerce leaders and the Thai Bankers’ Association, the consensus was that the landbridge is not urgent. The priority is to connect missing infrastructure sections.” He called for completing rail connections to western and eastern Thailand to link with the main north-south railway. Upgrading two southern ports should suffice for the country’s investment context over the next 5–10 years. The government listens and provides solutions accordingly.
“If we start the landbridge, even without opposition, it will take 3–5 years to begin. But upgrading ports and connecting missing rail and road links can happen immediately—this is normal. This aligns with private sector feedback that this is enough. When discussing with other countries, they see Thailand’s infrastructure readiness. Trust that this government will do everything—not just facilitate but provide pathways for you to reach your investment goals and expand your businesses to the highest level, proving you are second to none.”
The Prime Minister further stated that the private sector’s readiness and strength are key supports for the government to negotiate and drive economic policies. The government will act as a "spearhead," opening doors and removing obstacles, while the private sector leads in expanding business and generating national income. Full cooperation between government and private sector will propel Thailand toward the prosperity expected by its people. The government values economic proposals from the private sector and is ready to serve business interests with full commitment.