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On July 18, 2026, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul officially inaugurated the Thailand Board of Investment's (BOI) Chengdu Office at the Tianfu International Convention Center in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. It is the fourth BOI office established in China, following earlier offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and the 18th BOI overseas office worldwide. The ribbon-cutting was a key part of Anutin's first official visit to China since taking office as prime minister, a trip from July 16 to 20 that also took in Shanghai and Beijing, marking a new step in Thailand-China investment cooperation in the Sichuan-Chongqing region and western China more broadly. Senior officials accompanying him included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow.

On the same day, Anutin also chaired the opening of the Thailand-China (Sichuan) Investment and Economic Forum 2026. The forum drew more than 750 participants, including over 150 representatives from the Thai private sector spanning agriculture, food and beverage, clean energy, healthcare and wellness, chemicals, automotive manufacturing, industrial estate development and banking. It was among the largest overseas business delegations organized by the Thai government, reflecting strong interest from Thai industry in deepening cooperation with China.

The BOI Chengdu Office will function mainly as a coordination and support center for Thai and Chinese investors, with a particular focus on investment cooperation with western China. BOI Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi said the formal opening of the office is an important mechanism for expanding Thailand-China investment cooperation, with future promotion efforts concentrated on high-tech and green industries to drive mutually beneficial investment. In his remarks, Anutin stressed that Thailand, thanks to its geographic position at the center of ASEAN, aims to serve as a key investment gateway linking western China, South Asia and ASEAN markets, helping companies from Sichuan and elsewhere in China more easily access ASEAN consumer markets and expand their global footprint.

Thailand regards Sichuan as strategically important for its new office. Sichuan has the sixth-largest provincial economy in China and is a key node on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. According to information previously released by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chengdu, bilateral trade between Thailand and Sichuan has grown by more than 110 percent in recent years, and both sides are seen as having significant room to expand cooperation in manufacturing, agricultural processing and digital trade.

During the visit, Anutin also met at the Tianfu International Convention Center with representatives of several major Chinese technology and manufacturing firms, including Xiaomi Corporation, Changan Automobile, and optical communications companies InnoLight Technology and Eoptolink Technology. Thai officials said the discussions could bring investment worth up to 70 billion baht to Thailand, of which about 50 billion baht represents expansion of existing investment projects and more than 20 billion baht represents entirely new capital. Changan Automobile confirmed that its Rayong facility in Thailand will serve as its first overseas complete-vehicle production base, manufacturing right-hand-drive electric vehicles for ASEAN and global markets, alongside a new international business center and R&D center.

Beyond the opening of the BOI Chengdu Office and meetings with businesses, Anutin also advanced tourism cooperation while in Chengdu. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) signed letters of intent with five Chinese partners — China Tourism Group, Utour Group, China Comfort Travel Group, Amap, and a unit of Thailand's own Charoen Pokphand Group — covering tour operations, smart travel, digital services, brand marketing and in-destination experiences. Thailand said the push to deepen tourism cooperation with markets in western China is intended to help attract more than 5.13 million Chinese visitors and at least 288.385 billion baht in tourism revenue in the second half of 2026 and throughout 2027.

The trip was Anutin's first official visit to China since taking office as prime minister, and besides Chengdu it also took in Shanghai and Beijing. On July 17, Anutin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai and took part in activities related to the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC). On July 20, Anutin held full-delegation talks in Beijing with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. During the visit, Thailand and China signed 15 cooperation documents covering trade, agriculture, customs, science and technology, AI education, aviation and aerospace, intellectual property, media, and combating transnational crime, and the two sides agreed to establish a '2+2' consultation mechanism between their foreign and defense ministers, with China hosting the first meeting to upgrade bilateral security cooperation. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow later described the visit as a 'historic' success, saying it elevated the Thailand-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership across the political, economic, security and technology sectors, including AI.

Observers say the opening of the BOI's Chengdu office is the latest step in Thailand's ongoing effort to expand its investment-promotion network in China and strengthen economic and trade ties, coming as Thailand and China mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. Some commentary has described the visit as an important milestone as Thailand-China friendship enters its 'next golden 50 years.' Thai officials say that as Chinese companies accelerate their overseas expansion, Thailand's combined advantages — clean energy, infrastructure, a stable power grid, a skilled workforce, and tax and non-tax incentives offered by the BOI — will keep it an attractive destination for Chinese investors expanding into ASEAN.

With the Chengdu office now operating, it is expected to offer companies in Sichuan and western China more convenient investment consulting, policy guidance and project-matching services for entering the Thai market. Analysts say that as more Chinese technology and manufacturing firms turn their attention to ASEAN, the expansion of the BOI's network of China offices could further strengthen Thailand's position in the regional competition to attract foreign investment. Accounting firm PwC Thailand has also noted that as more Chinese businesses explore opportunities in Thailand, they will still need to carefully assess investment incentives, regulatory requirements, tax considerations and BOI application procedures to ensure their projects proceed smoothly.