Thailand to host prestigious Formula E electric-car championship

The Government of Thailand is set to welcome the prestigious Formula E electric-car racing championship in the coming year. This revelation was made by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on his X account yesterday, following an engaging conversation with a senior executive of Formula E.

Formula E, also known as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, has earned global recognition for organising thrilling electric vehicle races since its inception in Beijing in 2014. The championship later received the status of an FIA world championship.

The prime minister disclosed that Thailand has been progressively embracing electric vehicles (EVs) with a significant 40% of all car orders since last year being for EVs.

“Therefore, I think it is good to bring the Formula E racing competition to Thailand to stimulate the economy and development of the country’s infrastructure while reinforcing the policy of reducing carbon emissions.”

According to PM Srettha, executives of Formula E will be scouting locations in Chiang Mai next week to ascertain the feasibility of holding the championship in Thailand. He believes that hosting such a global event will boost Thailand’s reputation as a regional tourism hotspot.

Joining the Bangkok-born prime minister for the discussions was Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and deputy chair of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee.

Electric-car racing

In a separate conversation, the prime minister revealed that a dozen French enterprises have expressed interest in expanding their businesses in Thailand, targeting industries such as hospitality, fashion, and automobiles.

After a meeting with French business leaders in Paris, he shared that Accor, a French multinational hospitality company, is eager to collaborate with the Thai government on tourism initiatives and invest in local funds like the pension fund to grow their business. The company also plans to construct hotels in Thailand’s three southern border provinces.

PM Srettha also met executives from Michelin, the French tyre manufacturer that uses Thai rubber. Michelin (Thailand), established in 1987, operates five factories in the country, employs over 8,000 workers, and has invested over 40 billion baht (US$ 1.13 billion). The company consumes over 700 billion tonnes of natural rubber annually for tyre production.

The 62 year old Thai PM revealed that Michelin plans to increase its production capacity and investment in Thailand over the next three years. The company has also expressed intentions to transition to clean energy soon, a move that the government fully supports, reported Bangkok Post.

Apart from its tyre manufacturing business, Michelin is also renowned for its Michelin Guide, which reviews and rates global dining establishments. The company sees Thailand’s potential in the food industry and is ready to assist in promoting this sector to attract tourists, Srettha added.