Bangkok: ASML, the world's largest semiconductor machinery manufacturer from the Netherlands, met with the Board of Investment (BOI) to discuss cooperation in establishing a supply chain for semiconductor manufacturing machinery in Thailand, along with upgrading highly skilled personnel to support the "Chip Made in Thailand" goal.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Narut Teodsathirasak, Secretary-General of the Board of Investment (BOI), revealed that on February 3, 2026, executives from ASML met with him to discuss potential collaboration. ASML expressed interest in transferring knowledge and technology to jointly develop and upgrade the capabilities of promising domestic manufacturers in the advanced machinery manufacturing industry for semiconductor production. Currently, ASML has several key suppliers already invested in Thailand and plans to increase this number. Furthermore, they offered advice and expressed readiness to cooperate with the Thai government in promoting the national semiconductor strategy and the "Chip Made in Thailand" goal, as well as assisting in upgrading the knowledge and skills of Thai personnel.
ASML, a Dutch technology company, is a world leader in the development of lithography, a technology used in the manufacturing of advanced chips for smart devices such as CPUs and GPUs. It is the only company in the world capable of producing High-NA Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (High-NA EUV) and Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) machines, which are used to manufacture high-performance chips with circuit board sizes ranging from 7 nanometers down to less than 2 nanometers. This makes ASML a crucial supplier of machinery to global high-end chip manufacturers such as TSMC, Intel, and Samsung, with projected revenues exceeding 1.2 trillion baht by 2025.
During this meeting, ASML presented its business expansion plans in the Asian region and expressed interest in developing a supplier network in Thailand to support the company's rapid growth and enhance cost competitiveness. Currently, ASML already has several key suppliers in Thailand and has the potential to increase the number of suppliers, making Thailand an integral part of the upstream chip manufacturing machinery ecosystem. This would present a good opportunity for establishing an upstream chip manufacturing plant (wafer fabrication) in Thailand in the future.
Currently, there are several advanced electronics component manufacturers already established in Thailand with the potential to upgrade and enter the semiconductor manufacturing machinery supply chain. These include SPEA, Celestica, Fabrinet, Delta Electronics, Oerlikon, Lumentum, SAM Precision, and most recently, Foxsemicon Integrated Technology Inc. (FITI), a subsidiary of Foxconn, which has decided to invest over 10 billion baht in its first phase to establish a manufacturing base for upstream semiconductor manufacturing equipment and modules in Thailand.
ASML views Thailand as a country with high potential, given its ready electronic component and machinery industries, highly skilled personnel, and comprehensive manufacturing infrastructure. These factors facilitate the long-term development of the semiconductor supply chain. ASML recognizes Thailand's commitment to establishing a national semiconductor strategy and its concrete plans for semiconductor personnel development. Therefore, ASML has expressed interest in participating in the development of the high-end machinery supply chain in Thailand. This will be a significant opportunity for domestic businesses in the electronics and machinery sectors to collaborate with world-class companies, upgrade technology, develop personnel, and access the global semiconductor supply chain. This marks a crucial step in bringing the Thai industry closer to the goal of achieving 'Made in Thailand' chips.