Tesla’s plans for a factory in Thailand have now been scrapped, according to The Nation’s source at the Thai Government House. Poised to make Thailand a hub for EV manufacturing (as of November 2023), Tesla has now turned away from its initial plans for the country, similar to what it did with Indonesia.
With the canceled plans for a factory in Thailand, Tesla is set to focus on the development of charging stations instead. The decision follows the layoffs of a team of Tesla executives that visited Thailand from November to December last year.
According to The Nation’s source at the Government House, “Tesla is currently only discussing charging stations, with the factory plans suspended not just in Thailand but worldwide. They are not proceeding in Malaysia, Indonesia, or anywhere else except for China, America, and Germany.”
Prior to Thailand’s development with Tesla, Indonesia was once poised to be Tesla’s hub. The country’s vast supply of nickel was one of the main draws for the company. Tesla’s commitment withdrawal from Thailand is part of its withdrawal of investments across Asia and beyond.
In Malaysia, Tesla has set up its headquarters in Cyberjaya, although no factory is planned for the country. Malaysia was one of the first countries to receive the updated Tesla Model 3 (dubbed the Highland) and has waived decade-old policies to welcome the US company into Malaysia. Tesla entered Malaysia in 2023 and launched the Tesla Model Y in Malaysia with a starting price of RM199,000. The Tesla Model 3 was launched later with a starting price of RM189,000 (now dropped to RM181,000).
As for its charging network, Tesla Malaysia has set up stations in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Penang, and even Pahang. More charging stations are in the works, including a new one in Ipoh.
