BANGKOK, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Thailand is moving to build up its semiconductor industry, with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signing an order to establish a national semiconductor policy committee, government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said on Tuesday.

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivers his government policy statement to parliament in Bangkok, Thailand. Sept. 29, 2025. (File photo: Xinhua)

In a statement, Ratchada said the committee will serve as the central mechanism driving the country's semiconductor roadmap, integrating the work of government, the private sector, educational institutions, and foreign investors.

The government aims to attract more than 2.5 trillion baht (about 76.38 billion U.S. dollars) in investment and develop over 230,000 high-skilled workers by 2050, Ratchada added.

Semiconductors are central to the modern economy, underpinning electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, data centers, medical devices, and other electronics, she said, adding that building the industry domestically would create higher-paying jobs and long-term economic security.

Investment promotion data for 2025 showed the electronics and electrical appliances sector logged applications worth 277.65 billion baht (about 8.48 billion dollars), ranking second in the country behind the digital industry.

In the first quarter of this year, new investment was valued at more than 40.46 billion baht (about 1.24 billion dollars), reflecting investors' confidence in the Southeast Asian nation's potential, the spokesperson noted.