Isuzu Motors Limited

The Ministry of Finance has designated the drive to bring companies in future industries, or the New Economy, onto the Stock Exchange of Thailand as one of the key performance indicators, or KPIs, for three agencies: the Board of Investment, or BOI; the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC; and the Stock Exchange of Thailand, through the BOI to IPO project, in order to assess proactive performance beyond their normal mandates. The measure aims to draw foreign capital and operators across the supply chain from upstream to downstream, including advanced electronic components such as PCB and optical transceivers, modern vehicles, smart agriculture, global pet food, and the wellness sector, to raise funds on the Thai stock market. The BOI board meeting on September 11, 2026 approved additional incentive measures, or on-top incentives, for companies that receive investment promotion and list on the stock exchange. New Economy businesses receive an additional three years of corporate income tax exemption beyond the normal criteria, or the option of an additional 50% corporate income tax reduction for five years. General businesses receive an additional two years of corporate income tax exemption, or the option of an additional 50% corporate income tax reduction for three years. From 2023 to June 2026, there were investment promotion applications totaling more than 5 trillion baht in target industries such as semiconductors, PCB, the AI supply chain, digital, clean energy, robotics, and aircraft parts. In the first half of this year, actual investment of more than 500 billion baht already flowed into the economy, and in 2026 alone, four leading Japanese automakers, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors and Honda, announced additional investments in Thailand worth a combined total of more than 50 billion baht. Asadej Kongsiri, director and manager of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, said the project will create four areas of mutual benefit, or four big wins, covering the business sector, investors, the capital market and the overall economy. The SEC has approved new revised criteria to let target companies enter the fundraising process faster by shortening the track record requirement. Meanwhile, the CMDF fund provides support in the form of a matching fund, subsidizing expenses and fees for IPOs at 7 million baht per company. At the same time, the three agencies agreed to set up a joint task force, with the support framework of the project between the stock exchange and the CMDF set at a total of five years, ending in 2031.

Pornchai Theeravej, Director-General of the Excise Department, disclosed that the National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee, or EV Board, has approved in principle a restructuring of the excise tax on electric vehicles to support the industry's transition period. The new tax structure will be divided into three rates: the lowest rate for domestic manufacturers that meet local content requirements, a middle rate for importers that plan to invest in building factories in the country, and the highest rate for importers that only sell vehicles. The highest rate will take effect first, and private-sector representatives from three automotive associations have agreed with the approach but asked for further discussion on the grace period. Lawaron Saengsanit, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, said clarity is expected within this September before the proposal goes to the Cabinet. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary-General of the Board of Investment, said the meeting also approved the appointment of two subcommittees, one on promoting electric vehicle manufacturing and one on developing the electric charging station network, and assigned the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance to consider additional support for commercial electric vehicles such as buses, electric trucks, and electric motorcycles. The meeting also acknowledged that of new vehicle registrations this year, more than 50% were electric vehicles combined, covering BEVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids, with BEVs rising from 0.3% five years ago to nearly 30%, and hybrids at about 23%. Meanwhile, four major Japanese automakers, Mitsubishi Motors, Isuzu, Honda, and Mazda, have announced plans for continued investment in Thailand totaling more than 50 billion baht through 2029 to 2030.

The Board of Investment (BOI) has revealed that Japan remains a key investment partner for Thailand. In 2025, Japanese investors applied for investment promotion for 302 projects with a total value exceeding 113.7 billion baht, more than doubling from the previous year. In the first half of 2026, there were 123 projects worth 32.79 billion baht, reflecting that Thailand remains an important investment base for Japan, particularly for investments aimed at upgrading technology and increasing production efficiency to support the transition of global industries. BOI Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi stated that Japanese investment is entering a new cycle, building on existing production bases to develop high-value products. For instance, Isuzu is investing over 15 billion baht to upgrade its pickup truck production base, Mazda is investing 7.4 billion baht to produce new hybrid models, Mitsubishi has announced an additional investment of 16 billion baht by 2030, and Honda plans to invest 12 billion baht by 2029 to produce two new car models. This makes Thailand the only country outside Japan to produce a total of eight car models. Meanwhile, the automotive supply chain is shifting towards EV and hybrid components, such as Astemo investing 3.5 billion baht to produce PCU inverters and Aisin investing in hybrid transmission systems. The electronics sector is also expanding into advanced components, with Murata producing MLCCs and Panasonic producing upstream materials for circuit boards. The new factory will be the first production base for MEGTRON materials in ASEAN to support AI. Additionally, there are investments in aviation and agri-food, such as NMB-Minebea investing over 2.6 billion baht to open an aircraft parts factory in Lopburi, and Toyo Saikan investing 2.47 billion baht to produce plant-based beverages. A survey by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce (JCC) indicates that 23% of Japanese companies plan to increase their investment in Thailand in 2026, while 48% will maintain their current investment levels. The BOI also supports the establishment of regional offices in Thailand, with over 40% currently coming from Japan.

Japan Bank for International Cooperation has signed a loan agreement with Isuzu Motors Corporation for approximately $169m. The funds will be used by Isuzu North America Corporation, Isuzu's US subsidiary, to establish new production bases for medium and light trucks. JBIC stated the loan supports Isuzu's North American business expansion, enhances its competitive advantage in the region, and strengthens the supply chain of Japan's core automotive industry.