A total of 736 foreign companies received approval to invest in Thailand, under the Foreign Business Act, during the first seven months of 2026, according to the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce.

Director-General of the Department of Business Development Poonpong Naiyanapakorn stated that foreign business investments totaling 219 billion baht were approved for operation in Thailand from January to July 2026.

Among the 736 foreign investors, 133 or 18 percent were from China (38.603 billion baht), 121 or 16 percent from the United States (6.226 billion baht), 97 or 13 percent from Singapore (61.112 billion baht), 94 or 13 percent from Japan (45.085 billion baht), and 72 or 10 percent from Hong Kong (14.077 billion baht).

Compared with the same period in 2025, the number of approved foreign businesses increased by 153, or 26 percent, from 583 to 736. The investment value rose by 59.748 billion baht, or 37 percent, from 159.46 billion baht to 219.208 billion baht.

Foreign investors receiving licenses to operate in Thailand have employed 5,229 Thai workers, an increase of 1,144 workers, or 22 percent, over the same period in 2025.

The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) provinces during the seven-month period attracted 220 foreign investors, accounting for 30 percent of all foreign investors in Thailand. This represented an increase of 44 investors, or 25 percent, from 176 in the same period of 2025. Investment totaled 85.615 billion baht, representing 39 percent of Thailand's total investments. The largest group of foreign investors in EEC was China, followed by Japan and Hong Kong.