Tesla is currently in discussions with the Thai government regarding the establishment of a potential production facility in Thailand. This was confirmed by an official from the prime minister’s office on Monday, reports Reuters.
Supakorn Congsomjit, a representative from the office, disclosed that Tesla had conducted a site survey in Thailand late last year, indicating a serious interest in the region. As part of the negotiations, the Thai government has proposed an enticing offer to Tesla, promising to supply 100% green energy to power the facility. This facility could potentially be used for manufacturing either EVs or batteries.
Thailand, recognized as Southeast Asia’s largest car producer and exporter, is actively working towards becoming the region’s primary hub for EV production. The country’s strategic location and existing automotive industry infrastructure make it an attractive destination for EV manufacturers.
To bolster its position in the EV market, Thailand has already secured over $1.44 billion in investment commitments from various Chinese EV producers. The addition of a Tesla production facility would further strengthen Thailand’s ambition to be at the forefront of the EV revolution in Southeast Asia.
Back in September, Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said they were expecting a significant investment from Tesla. “Tesla would be looking into an EV manufacturing facility, Microsoft and Google are looking at data centres,” Thavisin said at the time.
Currently, Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai, China, exports Model 3 and Model Y vehicles to the Asia-Pacific region.
Tesla launched its Model 3 and Model Y in Thailand back in February 2023.
