Thailand, Indonesia emerge as bigger links in EV supply chain
According to Nikkei Asia, a news service in Japan, Indonesia and Thailand have become two of the hottest Asian destinations for investment in parts and materials for electric vehicles (EV), as Japanese, Chinese and the Republic of Korea (RoK) players race to get in at the start of EV production in the region.
Japanese chemicals maker Kuraray recently begins production of high-performance resins at a new plant in eastern Thailand. (Photo: nikkei.com)
Jakarta (VNA) – According to Nikkei Asia, a newsservice in Japan, Indonesia and Thailand havebecome two of the hottest Asian destinations for investment in parts andmaterials for ele😼ctric vehicles (EV), as Japanese, Chinese and the Republic ofKorea (RoK) players race to get in at the start of EV produ🌼ction in the region.
In April, Japanese plasticsmaker Kuraray opened its first plant in Thailand. Speaking at theopening ceremony, President Hitoshi said automakers want to have a supplychain.
The new plant is one of agrowing number of EV-related investments in Thailand, which is Southeast Asia'sbiggest auto producer but still new territory for electric models. RoK's Hyundai Motor started EV production here just last year, and China'sBYD has plans to begin assembling vehicles in Thailand in 2024.
About 70 billion JPY (520 million USD)was invested in the Kuraray plant, a joint venture with Thai petrochemicalcompany PTT Global Chemical and Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corp.
Kuraray'shigh-performance resin Genestar is being produced there. It has a higher heatresistance than standard resins and is used for high-voltage parts aroundvehicle batteries. Genestar is produced in Japan, but the new Thai plant willdouble annual production to 26,000 tonnes.
InMarch, Japanese electronics pa🌸rts maker Murata Manufacturing said that itcompleted a factory for multilayer ceramic capacitors in Lamphun province innorthern Thailand.
Multilayer ceramic capacitorsstabilise the flow of electricity inside devices. As many as 10,000 can beneeded in an EV. Murata, the world leader in these capacitors, plans toincrease its supply capacity in Southeast Asia. Thailandintroduced incentives in 2022 to promote the shift to EVs, and Chinese andJapanese automakers responded. BYD plans to open a plant next year with an annual output of150,000 vehicles. Great Wall Motor, which already has entered the Thai market,and SAIC Motor-owned MG Motor also plan to start production in the country. Japanese parts makers see BYD and other Chinese automakers aspotential customers. Toyota Motor and Honda Motor plan to make EVs in Thailandbut likely will start at a small scale./.
Several agreements will be sealed during the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in May this year, including the one on the development of electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem, according to Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi.
Oil prices remain elevated, pushing demand for electric vehicles (EV) in Thailand. This is reflected in the number of orders for EVs at the 44th Bangkok International Motor Show.
The Indonesian government will promote electric vehicle (EV) utilisation at the 42nd ASEAN Summit, taking place from May 9-11 in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Japanese chemicals maker Kuraray recently begins production of high-performance resins at a new plant in eastern Thailand. (Photo: nikkei.com) 
