Supporting Southeast Asia’s Rise as a Global High-Tech Production Hub Automation Thailand and PCB Thailand Return in March 2026

Source: Press release 4 min Reading Time

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Co-located manufacturing exhibitions Automation Thailand and PCB Thailand will return to the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) from 11 – 13 March 2026 as part of the Intelligent Asia Thailand platform. 

(Source:  Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd Taiwan Branch)
(Source: Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd Taiwan Branch)

Organised in partnership between Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd Taiwan Branch, Yorkers Trade & Marketing Service Co Ltd and GMTX Company Ltd, the events will provide a central sourcing hub for automation and printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing technologies, serving key Southeast Asian industries including electronics, automotive and other high-growth manufacturing sectors. Following the success of their 2025 editions, the shows are expected to bring together a combined 310 exhibitors and 9,500 visitors across 10,000 sqm of exhibition space.

Thailand, in recent years, has been the beneficiary of a significant wave of new manufacturing investment, as global companies diversify their production bases for greater stability in their global supply chains. To capture this trend and establish the country as a regional hub for high-tech production, the government is building upon the nation’s existing strengths in electronics and electrical (E&E) and automotive manufacturing, promoting a national agenda focused on shifting the economy towards innovation and technology, and investing in major infrastructure projects like the Eastern Economic Corridor.

Consequently, the country has seen a surge in foreign direct investment, with applications for investment promotion reaching a record THB 1.06 trillion (USD 32.5 billion) in the first half of 2025, a 139% year-on-year increase for the period. This investment was heavily concentrated in high-tech sectors, led by the digital industry, with technically demanding data centre projects driving growth. This was complemented by significant growth in new project applications for key industries, including a 51% increase in the E&E sector and a 27% rise for the automotive sector. 1

For local manufacturers, the combination of foreign investment and government support creates a compelling case for investing in technologies to improve efficiency and produce higher-specification goods, especially in industrial automation and advanced electronics manufacturing. To meet this demand, the Intelligent Asia Thailand platform co-locate two complementary events: Automation Thailand, for cross-industry automation solutions, and PCB Thailand, for the specialised PCB and electronics assembly supply chains. 

Automation Thailand: Aligning with the National Strategy for High-Tech Production

The Thai government's focus on high-tech production encourages the adoption of automation technologies to build a more competitive industrial sector. However, recent industry analysis points to the primary barriers to adoption: a lack of expertise, insufficient time for implementation, and a shortage of staff qualified to manage and operate new automation systems. 2

Automation Thailand 2026 will feature a wide range of exhibitors, from technology providers to the system integrators responsible for designing and managing implementation projects. This provides industrial buyers from across Southeast Asia with a single venue to source the technologies and expertise required to digitise their factories. The 2026 edition will focus on five key application areas: industrial automation, robotics, inspection and measuring equipment, digital factory systems, and warehouse and logistics automation, showcasing technologies including AI-driven automation, Industry 5.0 solutions, smart factory transformation tools, and carbon-efficient manufacturing technologies.

To help build expertise in these areas and address the industry's knowledge gap, the second edition of SPS Stage Bangkok will return on a larger scale as part of the Automation Thailand fringe programme. In the dedicated demo zone, attendees can explore the latest technologies from leading companies drawn from the wider SPS network of automation events. This will be complemented by a seminar stage focused on key automation trends and the industrial impact of emerging technologies in Southeast Asia.

PCB Thailand: A Dedicated Platform for Thailand’s High-Growth PCB and E&E Sectors

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) house and integrate the electronic components that power modern devices. As such, they are a vital upstream component supporting Thailand’s high-tech industrial transformation. Thailand's printed circuit board (PCB) industry is projected to capture 20 – 25% of the global market by 2027, led by strong demand from the electric vehicle (EV), artificial intelligence (AI), and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) sectors. 3

To support this foundational sector in Thailand and the broader growth of the E&E industry across Southeast Asia, PCB Thailand provides the country’s only dedicated platform for these technologies. The exhibition brings together companies from across the entire PCB value chain, from material producers to electronics assembly specialists, with a scope covering printed circuit board fabrication, EMS technologies, components and testing.

Advanced components, from HDI/IC carrier boards to flexible and rigid PCBs, will be featured alongside the equipment for their fabrication, such as smart automation and handling systems. The hardware showcase will also include process equipment and a comprehensive range of advanced testing and inspection solutions. Complementing these technologies, leading software providers will present platforms for supply chain management and connectivity.

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[1] "Board of Investment sees 139% rise in applications in first half.", 25 July 2025, Bangkok Post, https://qr.messefrankfurt.com/84bac, (retrieved 31 July 2025)
[2] "I4R for Circular Economy: Transition Trends and Readiness of Thailand Automobile Sector", December 2020, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), https://qr.messefrankfurt.com/v298d, (retrieved 3 August 2025)
[3] "Share of global printed circuit board market set to surge", 26 June 2025, Bangkok Post, https://qr.messefrankfurt.com/O30ec, (retrieved 3 August 2025)