Industry & Retail

After a decade of external disruption – which saw the 2008 global financial crisis, floods in 2011 and a military coup in 2014 – Thai industry is getting back on track. According to the Ministry of Industry, the manufacturing production index grew by 2.5% in 2017, with stronger growth in the second half of the year. This trend continued in 2018, with January and February both seeing year-on-year growth of 4.7%. The government has also identified 10 priority investment sectors, evenly split into First S-Curve and New S-Curve industries. In terms of retail, general economic stability is having a positive impact on the sector, while years of targeted investment have also supported growth. Some uncertainty remains, however, with consumer debt still elevated. This chapter contains interviews with Kobchai Sungsitthisawad, Director-General, Department of Industrial Promotion; Christian Wiedmann, President, BMW Group Thailand; and Supaluck Umpujh, Chairwoman, The Mall Group.