On July 18th, Zeng Qinghong, Chairman of Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), along with Gu Huinan, General Manager of GAC AET, and Ma Haiyang, General Manager of GAC AET Southeast Asia, visited the Office of the Prime Minister in Thailand for a meeting with Prime Minister Suthep Thaweesin. The discussions were marked by a warm and cordial atmosphere, with Prime Minister Suthep extending congratulations on the successful completion of Guangqi AET's Smart Factory in Thailand.
Prime Minister Suthep commended GAC AET for choosing Thailand as its first overseas electric vehicle production base and expressed optimism and support for GAC's long-term development plans. He emphasized Thailand's readiness in terms of supply chain networks, human resources, and production ecosystems. Prime Minister Suthep also invited GAC AET to source various components from Thailand, aiming to support local suppliers and enhance their position within the global electric vehicle supply chain.
Chairman Zeng Qinghong highlighted President Xi Jinping's endorsement during his visit to GAC AET and GAC Research Institute last year, stressing GAC's strategic imperative to expand globally. He affirmed the close relationship between China and Thailand, praising Thailand's favorable business environment and underscoring the significance of Thailand being GAC's first wholly-owned overseas factory. GAC AET aims to position Thailand as a hub for automotive production in Southeast Asia and plans to export products globally.
During the meeting, Zeng Qinghong briefed Prime Minister Suthep on the development of GAC and GAC AET, emphasizing their market-oriented approach and phased production capacity plans for the Thai factory, starting at 50,000 units per year and scaling up to 100,000-200,000 units in response to market demand. He expressed gratitude for Thailand's continuous support in promoting investments, efficient factory construction, and localized production.
Both parties agreed to strengthen and upgrade cooperation in the Thai electric vehicle industry supply chain. The meeting concluded in a friendly atmosphere with mutual exchange of gifts: Prime Minister Suthep presented traditional Thai gifts, while Chairman Zeng Qinghong reciprocated with a Guangzhou-style embroidery piece featuring the Kapok flower, along with a model of GAC AET's Hyper SSR vehicle.
Notably, GAC AET pioneered Sino-Thai cooperation in education by establishing a joint training base with the Northeast Royal Institute of Technology, supporting local talent development in the field of new energy vehicles. Prime Minister Suthep personally witnessed the unveiling ceremony of this initiative on July 1st, underscoring his strong endorsement of this collaborative model, which is slated for expansion across Thailand. These efforts not only highlight GAC AET's commitment to technological innovation and talent cultivation but also pave the way for deepened collaboration between China and Thailand in the automotive and educational sectors.
The completion of the Thai factory represents a milestone as GAC AET continues to enhance Thailand's charging infrastructure, develop energy ecosystems, foster talent, and drive integrated development along the industrial supply chain. Together with Thailand, GAC AET aims to achieve mutual benefits, promote industry-wide growth, and accelerate the global automotive industry's transition towards sustainability.
