Thailand

Investment Policy Monitor

About

UNCTAD has been collecting information on changes in national foreign direct investment (FDI) policies on an annual basis since 1992. This collection has provided input to the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitors and the UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Measures.

In 2024, to further strengthen the quality of reporting, UNCTAD revised the methodology of monitoring investment policy measures. and revised the measures going back to 2012 accordingly.

The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with country-specific, up-to-date information about the latest developments in foreign investment policies.

Through its monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD offers cutting-edge and innovative contributions to investment policy discourse, and contributes to preparing the ground for future policymaking in the interest of making foreign investment work for sustainable development.
Methodology

The UNCTAD's Investment Policy Monitor database include official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting FDI (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures with a clear impact on foreign investment (FDI-related). The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases). The classification of measures as more or less favourable is based solely on their potential impact on investors.

Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

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International investment agreements trends: the increasing dichotomy between new and old treaties

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09 Oct 2024

Investment policy trends in LLDCs since the Vienna Programme of Action

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Thailand - Allows foreigners to work or invest in 18 targeted industries

Allows foreigners to work or invest in 18 targeted industries

03 Feb 2023

On 3 February 2023, The Royal Thai Gazette website published a notice from the Ministry of Interior announcing a special permit for migrant workers to work or invest in 18 industries to boost the economy. The 3rd version of the notice, signed by the Prime Minister and Interior Minister, focuses on highly skilled specialists, investors, executives, and entrepreneurs for startups. The targeted industries include automotive, electronics, biotechnology, robotics, and circular economy. Other sectors are transport, logistics, petrochemicals, digital, medical, defence, aviation, human resource development, environment and renewable energy management, technology, and international business center. The new permit emphasizes alternative dispute resolution services to facilitate investment.

Type:
- Entry and establishment (Ownership and control, Approval and admission)
- Treatment and operation (Immigration regulations, Labor regulation)
- Promotion and facilitation (Investment facilitation )
Industry:
- Not industry specific
Sources:
- Government of Thailand, a new notice allowing foreigners to work or invest in 18 selected companies , https://ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/pdfdownload/?id=140D025S0000000000800, 03 Feb 2023
- khaosodenglish, THAILAND ALLOW MIGRANTS TO WORK OR INVEST IN 18 TARGETED INDUSTRIES, https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2023/02/07/thailand-allow-migrants-to-work-or-invest-in-18-targeted-industries/, 07 Feb 2023

About

UNCTAD has been collecting information on changes in national foreign direct investment (FDI) policies on an annual basis since 1992. This collection has provided input to the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitors and the UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Measures.

In 2024, to further strengthen the quality of reporting, UNCTAD revised the methodology of monitoring investment policy measures. and revised the measures going back to 2012 accordingly.

The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with country-specific, up-to-date information about the latest developments in foreign investment policies.

Through its monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD offers cutting-edge and innovative contributions to investment policy discourse, and contributes to preparing the ground for future policymaking in the interest of making foreign investment work for sustainable development.
Methodology

The UNCTAD's Investment Policy Monitor database include official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting FDI (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures with a clear impact on foreign investment (FDI-related). The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases). The classification of measures as more or less favourable is based solely on their potential impact on investors.

Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.