Thailand, ASEAN’s largest manufacturer of automobiles and auto parts, continues to expand its automotive production base, presenting a number of opportunities for foreign investors.
Foreign investment in Thailand’s automotive sector is supported by a number of government policies and schemes. These include but are not limited to offering tax and non-tax incentives to eligible foreign automobile and auto parts manufacturing businesses operating in areas designated as automotive clusters, including the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), as the Thai government seeks to promote Thailand as a production hub for green vehicles and support investment in emerging technologies and innovation.
Whether your organization is looking to invest or expand its automotive manufacturing operations or other related busines in Thailand, Siam Premier can assist you to structure your business to maximize incentives and minimize risk, to help you achieve your commercial and strategic objectives.
We assist some of the world’s largest automobile and auto parts companies with their market entry strategy for Thailand, including advising on the establishment of joint ventures, obtaining Board of Investment (BOI) promotion, obtaining foreign business licenses and foreign business certificates from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), strategic structuring, land acquisitions and labour planning.
We have a strong knowledge of auto industry practices and regularly advise automobile manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers and other businesses across the automotive supply chain on all aspects of their manufacturing operations including competition, environmental, corporate, employment and labour, and technology matters.
We also have a strong corporate / M&A practice, with extensive experience advising on share and asset acquisitions and disposals in the automotive sector, as well as a strong litigation and dispute resolution team who regularly represent automotive sector clients in contentious matters.
Our automotive sector expertise includes advising on:
- BOI, IEAT and EEC incentives
- Dispute resolution
- Foreign business licenses and foreign business certificates
- Health, safety and environmental matters
- Export and import controls
- Insurance
- IP protection, enforcement and disputes
- Joint ventures
- Labour matters
- Licensing, permits and registrations
- Product safety and liability
- Regulatory matters
- Shares and assets acquisitions and disposals
- Sourcing and outsourcing agreements
- Advising a leading Japanese vehicles manufacturer on Thai labour law and related disputes in the Labour Court.
- Advising a global Japanese vehicle and motorcycle manufacturer on labour matters and related disputes in the Labour Court
- Acting as Thai legal counsel for a group of international financial institutions in a global financing transaction granting USD 900 million credit facilities to a large automobile-parts manufacturing company and its subsidiaries.
- Advising one of the world’s largest automotive alliances on general regulatory compliance.
- Advising a Japanese vehicles manufacturer on the legal requirements and related matters in connection with transactions, including investments in the Lao PDR, both in general businesses and concession businesses.
- Advising a Japanese global vehicles manufacturer on various legal matters including business compliance and general regulatory advice.
- Assisting a large automotive parts manufacturer in the implementation on the Share Sale and Purchase Agreement entered into by and between its existing shareholders and the packing industry for sale and purchase of 41% shares in its company.
- Advising a joint venture between two global vehicle manufacturers in relation to THB 6.8 billion financing of certain models of vehicle.
- Assisting a global software and research and development company in the automotive and aerospace sectors in the establishment of a company in Thailand, obtaining the Thailand Board of Investment promotion and obtaining a foreign business license from the Ministry of Commerce.
- Advising a US electric motor manufacturer with the sale of shares in its Thai subsidiary.
- Advising a large steel manufacturer and supplier to automobile manufacturers on joint venture, licensing, acquisitions, as well as potential disputes.
- Advising a large US heavy machinery company on establishment of operations in Thailand.