BoI reports 28% growth in investment in third quarter

The Board of Investment (BoI) has reported a 28% year-on-year increase in the value of actual investment by promoted projects in the third quarter of 2026, bringing the total for the first nine months to 796.5 billion baht.

The government has prioritised monitoring actual investment after projects receive approval, which provides a clearer picture of progress and investment activity in the economy, BoI secretary-general Narit Therdsteerasukdi said on Friday.

The BoI has stepped up systematic quarterly monitoring of actual investment, while coordinating efforts to remove obstacles and accelerate project implementation.

The aim is to ensure that projects proceed according to schedule, from factory construction and machinery installation to the start of operations, particularly large-scale investments in industries that play a key role in restructuring the national economy, he said.

Actual investment reached 260.7 billion baht in the third quarter, up 28% from the same period last year. The figure for the first nine months of 2026 totalled 796.5 billion baht, an increase of 27% from the year before, said Mr Narit.

By industry, the digital sector recorded the highest actual investment in the third quarter at 64.2 billion baht, more than seven times the amount recorded in the same period last year. It was followed by electronics and electrical appliances, with 61.2 billion baht, up 20%.

The two sectors accounted for more than 125 billion baht, or nearly half of all actual investment during the quarter, said Mr Narit. This reflected Thailand’s continued appeal as a destination for large-scale investments in digital infrastructure, semiconductors and advanced electronics.

Other sectors recording substantial investment included agriculture and food processing, at 27.1 billion baht, energy and utilities (24 billion), automotive and parts (18.2 billion), minerals, metals and materials (15.2 billion) and tourism (11.2 billion).

The figures indicated that actual investment was not concentrated solely in emerging industries but was also flowing into established industrial sectors and the country’s services sector, said Mr Narit.

Machinery investment reached 136.5 billion baht in the third quarter, up 37% on the year, while construction investment amounted to 96.3 billion baht, an increase of 39%.

Combined, the two categories accounted for 89% of total actual investment. Spending on land and other investment items amounted to 27.9 billion baht.

“Over the past three quarters, we have seen actual investment grow continuously, particularly spending on construction and machinery,” said Mr narit.

“This shows that many large-scale projects have moved beyond the business planning stage and into actual implementation.”

The outlook for the final quarter remained positive, with actual investment for all of 2026 expected to exceed 1 trillion baht, surpassing the 865 billion baht recorded in 2025, he said.