Chinese automaker holds groundbreaking ceremony for vehicle plant in Thailand
By Sun Guangyong, Li Yuanxin, Jing Chaoping and Lin Tianhao
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Rayong, Thailand (People's Daily) – China's leading electric automaker BYD held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for its first overseas passenger vehicle factory in Thailand, marking the latest effort by Chinese automakers to expand their business in Southeast Asia.

Groundbreaking ceremony of BYD passenger vehicle manufacturing factory in Thai. (Photos: Li Yuanxin)

The new factory, located in the Eastern Economic Corridor Special Zone in coastal Rayong province, is expected to serve as a hub for the production and distribution of electric vehicles (EVs) in Thailand, neighboring ASEAN countries and other regions.

BYD announced it would build the factory in September 2022. The factory is scheduled to start operation in 2024 with an annual production capacity of 150,000 units.

"BYD's decision to make Thailand its production base in the Asia-Pacific region aligns with Thailand's Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model and the direction of China’s green and sustainable development," said Wang Liping, minister-counsellor for economic and commercial affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.

Several Thai officials expressed their welcome and high hopes for the factory at the ceremony, including Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary general of the Thailand Board of Investment, and Suphot Torartharn, deputy governor of Rayong Province.

On the day of the ceremony, a delivery ceremony for the 9,999th and 10,000th ATTO 3 cars was also held. ATTO 3 has been a popular choice among Thai consumers since its introduction last year, accounting for 8 percent of pure electric vehicles registered in Thailand.