BANGKOK : Major Chinese automaker Geely is in the early stages of planning an entry to Thailand's electric vehicle market, including weighing models for import and local manufacturing, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions.
Thailand's Board of Investment held discussions with five major Chinese EV makers including Geely during a roadshow to China in April, its Secretary-General Narit Therdsteerasukdi said. Thailand, the world's tenth-biggest auto producer, is searching for new investments as it seeks to protect and diversify a manufacturing base that has been heavily reliant on Japanese brands and combustion engines.
Discussions with Geely have faced an additional complication because of the way the company has given working-level autonomy to its brand-level operating groups like Geometry and Radar Auto, one of the people said.