BANGKOK, Feb 13 (Reuters): Foreign investment applications in Thailand dropped 54% to 213 billion baht (US$7.12 billion) in 2020 as companies were deterred by the coronavirus pandemic, while this year’s outlook remains uncertain, an investment agency has announced this week.
Japan remains Thailand’s biggest investor, with projects worth 76 billion baht, followed by China’s 31 billion baht of pledges and the United States’ 25 billion baht, the Board of Investment (BOI) said in a statement.
Last year, combined domestic and foreign investment pledges fell 30% from a year earlier to 481 billion baht, led by projects in electronics, agriculture and food processing, plus a 165% surge in the medical sector, it said.
“The coronavirus outbreak represented both a challenge and an opportunity,” BOI chief Duangjai…
