Chachoengsao
Chachoengsao captures EEC's next-generation industries: greenfield sites attract $8.4B Chinese EV investment while older provinces face legacy constraints.
Chachoengsao forms the third vertex of Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor triangle, alongside Rayong and Chonburi. While Rayong hosts petrochemicals and Chonburi anchors automotive manufacturing, Chachoengsao is positioning as the EEC's next-generation industrial zone—capturing investment in electric vehicles, automation, and digital industries that require newer facilities rather than legacy infrastructure.
China has recognized this opportunity faster than others: Chinese investors poured $8.4 billion into the EEC between 2019 and 2024, with BYD establishing electric vehicle production that positions Thailand as a regional manufacturing hub. The 2024 introduction of a 10-year EEC Visa offering a flat 17% income tax rate (versus Thailand's 35% maximum) signals aggressive talent acquisition.
The numbers reveal concentration dynamics: over 55% of Thailand's foreign direct investment in 2023 flowed to these three EEC provinces. As of mid-2024, more than 30 companies had expressed interest in 210 billion baht of investments using EEC privileges. The corridor targets 100 billion baht annually through 2028. Chachoengsao benefits from being the least developed of the three provinces—offering greenfield sites where new industries can build without inheriting the environmental liabilities that constrain Rayong or the congestion that limits Chonburi expansion.