Reported on August 20, 2026, Japan has asked Thailand to review tariffs on automotive products ahead of the scheduled 2027 comprehensive review of the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), with no changes to tariff rates agreed so far.
JTEPA, which took effect in 2007, requires a comprehensive review

Announced on August 20, 2026, via a social media post, the Thai Electric Vehicle Association (EVAT) clarified its position on the restructuring of import duties on completely built-up (CBU) electric vehicles, saying it has been in ongoing discussions with government agencies and is still compiling its proposal in con

Announced on August 14, 2026, the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) noted that actual investment by promoted projects exceeded THB 255 billion in Q2 2026, an increase of 31% YoY. This brought actual investment in H1 2026 to THB 535.8 billion, up 27% YoY. Projects that recorded actual investment in the first half are

Announced on August 17, 2026, Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) is working with four state agencies to address infrastructure and workforce constraints in the Eastern region as it prepares for new high-tech investment, including electrified vehicle (xEV) manufacturing. The agencies are the Office of the National W

Reported on August 17, 2026, Thailand will seek to expand automotive export opportunities in Australia and New Zealand during an official visit beginning August 17, as the government looks to strengthen overseas demand for vehicles produced domestically.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti, w

Reported on August 17, 2026, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti has instructed officials to complete a new automotive excise tax structure by September, with implementation targeted before the end of 2026. The proposal would offer lower rates to companies investing in production facilities i

Reported on August 15, 2026, Toyota Motor Thailand and Honda Automobile Thailand have urged the Thai government to revise vehicle tax policies, citing what they described as an imbalance between locally manufactured and imported vehicles.
Toyota said imported Chinese EVs benefit from lower tax burdens and government

Announced on July 31, 2026, GWM (Thailand) claimed it became the first automaker to complete domestic electric vehicle (EV) production required to compensate for imports under Thailand's Phase 2 EV incentive program (EV 3.5) before the program ends.
The company said it had also been the first to fulfill the EV 3.0 pr

Announced on July 21, 2026, the Thai Industrial Standards Committee approved five additional EV-related Thai Industrial Standards (TIS) as mandatory controlled products, covering portable EV charging cables, AC chargers, DC fast chargers, and vehicle occupant protection requirements for side- and frontal-impact crash

Announced on July 16, 2026, the Thailand Automotive Institute (TAI) held a workshop to discuss a framework for an EV Battery Passport and guidelines for selecting locations for battery recycling industrial estates under its Sustainable EV Battery Waste Management Industry Strategy Project.
The National Energy Technol

Announced on July 11, 2026, Thailand’s Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) will strengthen nationwide inspections of electric vehicle (EV) sales to ensure compliance with legal information disclosure requirements.
The OCPB has instructed EV businesses to clearly and accurately display vehicle labels and ke

Announced on July 15, 2026, Thailand's automotive industry leaders have jointly outlined policy proposals aimed at strengthening the country's automotive sector during its transition to new vehicle technologies.
The proposals, presented by the Automotive Industry Association (TAIA) President and the Federation of Tha

Reported on July 3, 2026, Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) said approved investment promotion projects for the electrified mobility industry reached THB 137 billion across 198 projects as of May 2026, covering vehicles, motorcycles, batteries, key EV components, and charging and battery-swapping infrastructure. T

Announced on July 1, 2026, Thailand's Board of Investment (BOI) has approved an investment promotion application from AutoAlliance (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Mazda Motor Corporation's joint venture, for an investment exceeding THB 7.4 billion to upgrade its manufacturing facility in Rayong Province for production of new M

Announced on June 22, 2026, the Thailand Automotive Institute (TAI) and CATARC Southeast Asia Testing and Certification Service Co., Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance automotive testing, certification, and standards development capabilities in Thailand while supporting research on automo

In recent years, Thailand’s pickup market has faced one of the most significant downturns in its history, notably underperforming compared to the broader automotive sector. Historically, pickups constituted 40-50% of the country’s total Light Vehicle (LV) market, but the segment’s share has drastically declined from

Reported on June 2, 2026, Thailand's Finance Ministry dropped the proposed old-car trade-in scheme due to unresolved issues surrounding the disposal of end-of-life vehicles and used EV batteries. 
The ministry instead directed the Excise Department to develop a new clean-energy support program under the THB 200-billi

Reported on May 25, 2026, Thailand’s Ministry of Industry held talks with Huawei Technologies (Thailand) on possible collaboration to support the development of the industrial sector through technology and innovation.
The meeting covered the potential use of AI, digital solutions, and clean energy in advancing indust

Announced on May 20, 2026, the Thai Automotive Industry Association (TAIA), together with the Department of Energy Business and oil distributors, held a press conference confirming that B20 diesel can be safely used in 1,135 vehicle models without affecting engine performance or manufacturer warranties. The compatibl

Reported on May 19, 2026, Thailand rejected U.S. concerns that its automotive and auto parts sectors have excess production capacity. During Section 301 discussions with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) held from May 13–14 in the United States, Thai officials said production and investment decisions are driven by