After Not Having Its Factory in Malaysia and Indonesia, Tesla Pranks Thailand?

Tesla just celebrated the success of 10 million production across its factories on July 31, 2024. (Doc. Tesla)

JAKARTA – Shocking news has come from the famous electric car manufacturer, Tesla. Their ambitious plan to build a factory in Thailand is now reportedly postponed and even threatened to be canceled. Tesla's current focus is said to have shifted to expanding the charging network in the Land of the White Elephant.

Previously, strong news that Tesla was eyeing Thailand as the location for their production factory continued to strengthen. In fact, reported by Teslarati, quoted on August 7, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin himself had visited Tesla's Fremont factory and met with company officials, including Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy.

On several occasions, the Thai Prime Minister has also given positive signals regarding Tesla's investment in his country. He even mentioned three potential locations for the factory, with an estimated investment value of 5 billion US dollars.

However, the wind has changed direction. A local publication, The Economic Base, recently reported that Tesla's factory plans in Thailand have been canceled. In fact, the news said that Tesla is temporarily withdrawing its factory plans throughout Asia. Instead, the company will focus on developing the Supercharger charging network in Thailand.

"Currently, Tesla is only talking about charging stations, while the matter of building a factory is closed, and not only in Thailand, but all over the world. Malaysia will not be, Indonesia will not be, all are withdrawn, only China, America, and Germany," the report said.

Amidst the news, Tesla continues to aggressively promote its products in Thailand. One of the steps taken is to hold a tour of the Cybertruck, their flagship electric pickup, until September 2024.

Tesla's decision is certainly a concern for the global automotive industry, especially in Southeast Asia. Thailand, known as a major automotive production base, is expected to remain a potential market for electric vehicles, even without a Tesla factory.