Thailand has unveiled its first national semiconductor strategy, targeting about $80 billion in cumulative investment, $150 billion in annual industry revenue and more than 230,000 new jobs by 2050 as it moves to build a complete domestic chip supply chain.
Approved by the National Semiconductor and Advanced Electronics Policy Board, the three-phase strategy is designed to take Thailand beyond its established assembly and testing base and into higher-value segments including chip design, wafer fabrication, advanced packaging and high-value electronics applications.
"This is Thailand's first comprehensive national framework for building semiconductor capabilities and moving the country into higher-value activities across the global supply chain," said Deputy PM Ekniti Nitithanprapas.
"It gives investors a clear view of our technology priorities, infrastructure commitments and workforce-development plan through 2050."
The roadmap sets out three milestones. By 2030, Thailand aims to strengthen its existing assembly and testing capabilities, expand advanced packaging and establish the foundations for front-end wafer production.
By 2040, the country plans to attract more anchor investors in upstream activities such as chip design, wafer fabrication and advanced manufacturing. By 2050, the government aims to establish a complete domestic semiconductor supply chain, with Thai companies developing into local champions and securing strategic positions across the industry.
The strategy identifies three technology platforms as priorities: photonics, power semiconductors and sensors.
Photonics will target growing demand from artificial intelligence, data centers and high-speed communications. Power semiconductors will focus on electric vehicles, energy storage, power grids and clean energy. Sensors will build on Thailand's micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) capabilities, with applications spanning connected devices, automation, automotive, smart devices and medical technology.
The government plans to support the strategy through five areas: investment incentives and financing; skilled workforce development; upgraded research and chip-design infrastructure; investment-ready industrial infrastructure; and regulatory reform and business facilitation.
The measures include tax incentives, grants and low-interest financing, along with partnerships between foreign companies, Thai businesses, universities and research institutions.
Workforce development is a central component of the strategy. A national programme coordinated by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation aims to develop 86,600 people by 2030, including 84,900 highly skilled workers and about 1,700 advanced researchers.
The programme will use specialized curricula, industry placements, overseas training and development programmes for faculty, researchers and technical instructors.
"The 'Made in Thailand' chip initiative will bring together the country's technology, infrastructure, investment and talent through a strong, coordinated and comprehensive national plan to turn this ambition into reality," said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI).
"For semiconductor investors, specialized talent is as critical to site selection as infrastructure and incentives. The strategy is also designed to provide a dependable workforce pipeline for faster ramp-up and long-term expansion."
Thailand is entering the strategy with significant investment momentum. Between 2023 and the first half of 2026, the Thailand Board of Investment received 879 investment-promotion applications worth about $27.2 billion (909 billion baht) across the semiconductor and advanced electronics sectors.
Projects cover chip production, printed circuit boards, hard disk drives, AI servers, networking and power-management equipment, as well as electronic components for vehicles and office equipment.
The country is also preparing for a major new investment by Infineon Technologies. The world's largest maker of power semiconductors and automotive chips is scheduled to open its first Thai factory in Samut Prakan on October 1.
The facility will produce and package advanced power modules for electric vehicles, energy storage, clean energy and advanced electronics. Infineon also plans to establish an R&D centre, develop joint curricula with Thai educational institutions and employ more than 5,000 people in Thailand at full operation.
Thailand's expanding semiconductor ecosystem also includes Foxsemicon Integrated Technology in semiconductor-equipment supply, Analog Devices in analog and mixed-signal chips, Zhen Ding Technology in printed circuit boards, Terahop in optical communications, and Malaysian Pacific Industries (MPI) in semiconductor assembly, packaging and testing.
The government's targets — including $80 billion in cumulative investment, $150 billion in annual industry revenue and more than 230,000 jobs — are strategy targets rather than guaranteed outcomes.
