Charged up: Thai finance chief sparks debate on EV development

Thailand’s finance permanent secretary stressed the need for the country to continue developing its electric vehicle (EV) sector, despite concerns about the arrival of the Chinese EV supply chain in the local automobile industry. Lavaron Sangsnit warned that without active policies to encourage EVs, Thailand may be overlooked as a locale for factory establishment due to the lack of essential battery production raw materials.

“Creating domestic demand for EVs is the first step in establishing the EV industry in Thailand. The question is, will companies invest in factories here if there isn’t a substantial local demand?”

Lavaron highlighted the importance of not only catering to the local market but also considering exports to Southeast Asia, a move that would enable Thailand to leverage the privileges of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA).

Lavaron’s priority is to…