BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) led a government-business delegation to Seoul on September 28–29 to seek new investment from South Korean companies in advanced industries, including electric vehicles, robotics, semiconductors, smart manufacturing, health and beauty.
The delegation, led by BOI Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi, held investment discussions with Hyundai, T-Robotics and COSMAX, while also meeting the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) to promote Thailand as an investment base and expand business cooperation.
With Hyundai, the BOI discussed opportunities to move beyond the company’s existing electric vehicle and battery manufacturing operations in Thailand toward higher-value activities, including research and development, smart manufacturing and development of Thai suppliers. Hyundai has already established EV and lithium-ion battery production facilities in Samut Prakan with BOI support, with manufacturing beginning in May 2026.
The BOI also invited South Korean industrial robotics specialist T-Robotics to expand in Thailand and support the country’s semiconductor, advanced electronics and smart manufacturing sectors.
The company proposed cooperation between Thai and South Korean robotics industries, including skills development with Thai universities, local robotics component supply chains and connections with potential customers in Thailand. T-Robotics also expressed interest in Thailand’s Skill Bridge programme.
T-Robotics specialises in industrial robotics and is a key partner of global semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials. Its technologies include vacuum transfer robots for semiconductor cleanrooms, autonomous mobile robots for factories and logistics systems, and TR-WORKS humanoid robots designed for industrial applications.
The delegation also met COSMAX, a global developer and manufacturer of cosmetics and health products. The company has operated in Thailand since 2018 and currently has manufacturing facilities in Samut Prakan.
COSMAX is investing more than 1.8 billion baht in Thailand to expand production with a new factory. It currently employs more than 500 Thai workers and plans to increase its workforce to more than 700 next year, while introducing smart manufacturing technology and upgrading product testing to international standards.
The BOI encouraged COSMAX to expand investment in research laboratories and training in Thailand, with the aim of developing the country as a regional R&D and innovation centre for the health and beauty industries. It also encouraged greater use of locally sourced materials and stronger links with Thai suppliers.
During the meeting with FKI, the BOI presented Thailand’s investment promotion policies and incentives and discussed opportunities for Korean companies. FKI said Korean businesses are focusing on overseas investment in three major areas: semiconductors, physical AI robotics and AI data centres. Korean investment in ASEAN has more than doubled since 2010 to around US$10 billion a year, according to the federation.
The BOI said South Korean companies submitted 167 applications for investment promotion in Thailand worth more than 65.9 billion baht between 2021 and the first half of 2026. Major projects have focused on electronics and electrical appliances, machinery and automation, metal and material products, and chemicals. Major Korean investors expanding their presence in Thailand include Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, Posco, Hanwha and Doosan.
