BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas announced that Thailand has advanced investment cooperation with Saudi Arabia at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, held from January 19 to 22, 2026. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral investment mechanisms following the restoration of diplomatic relations.
As Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Board of Investment (BOI), Ekniti met with Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA), to review progress in Thai–Saudi investment cooperation and to develop a two-way investment corridor for mutual growth.
The discussions highlighted progress by Thai companies in Saudi Arabia. Fortune Part Industry Public Company Limited is building an electric vehicle parts manufacturing facility. Sahafarm Company Limited operates a poultry processing business in partnership with Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC). Sanden Intercool (Thailand) Public Company Limited is constructing facilities to manufacture food freezers and beverage coolers.
Both sides identified immediate opportunities for cooperation in three sectors. In the automotive and auto parts sectors, Saudi Arabia is interested in leveraging Thailand’s experience in supply chain development and encouraging Thai manufacturers to establish production bases and clusters. In the health sector, Saudi Arabia seeks medical cooperation, skills development, and collaboration in education and public health through Saudi development funds. In Islamic finance, both countries agreed to jointly develop tools and standards to support cross-border investment and financial services.
Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum Global Collaboration and Growth meeting in Jeddah in April 2026 and has invited Thailand to participate to expand business networks and advance bilateral cooperation.
Since July 2024, the BOI has operated its first Middle East office in Riyadh, serving as a key mechanism for connecting Thai–Saudi and regional Middle Eastern investment, in close cooperation with MISA. (NNT)
