BANGKOK, Thailand – Real investment from BOI-promoted projects reached 255 billion baht in the second quarter of 2026, up 31% year on year, lifting total actual investment in the first half to 535.8 billion baht, according to the Board of Investment (BOI). BOI Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi said the figures reflect money actually entering Thailand’s economy through construction, machinery purchases and other investment, rather than simply approved investment applications.
First-half investment rose 27% from the same period last year and is expected to create more than 630,000 jobs for Thai workers. More than 60% of those positions are in high-technology industries including electronics, automotive, digital technology, automation and robotics. AI-related industries recorded the largest actual investment in the second quarter, with more than 127 billion baht committed to projects involving optical communication equipment, printed circuit boards, hard disk drives, smart appliances and digital infrastructure. The figure accounted for roughly half of all actual investment during the quarter and more than doubled from a year earlier.
Renewable energy and basic utilities attracted another 23 billion baht, up 18%, while agriculture and food processing received 22.3 billion baht. Investment in minerals, metals and materials reached 21 billion baht, followed by 18.2 billion baht in automotive and parts, up 15%. Narit said the BOI will step up monitoring of approved projects to ensure investment moves into construction, machinery installation and operations without unnecessary delays. The agency will also use its Thailand FastPass mechanism to help major projects overcome regulatory and administrative obstacles.
