Haier, the Chinese appliance giant, has inaugurated a 10-billion-baht air-conditioner manufacturing plant in Chon Buri, Thailand, located in the WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate 3.

The facility spans 324,000 square metres.

The first phase is launching this month with a production capacity of three million units per year.

Expansion plans foresee output rising to 3.5 million units in 2026 and six million units annually by 2027.

Zhou Yunjie, Chairman of Haier Group, emphasised that this “major investment reflects the company’s confidence in the Thai economy,” with the plant intended to serve both domestic and global demand.

The plant is Haier’s second in Thailand: the existing facility in Kabin Buri, Prachin Buri province produces refrigerators and air conditioners.

Haier expects to generate around 3,000 jobs with the new plant.

For the domestic market, the company will continue an aggressive distribution strategy to cover every segment.

Exports are projected to the European Union, North America and Middle East markets, which are expected to become the top external markets for the plant’s output once full capacity is reached.

In financial forecasts, Haier anticipates Thailand sales of 5.5 billion baht for household air conditioners this year, and 1.1 billion baht for commercial units.

The investment also celebrates enhanced Thai-Chinese cooperation, coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The plant is set to become a strategic production base in Southeast Asia for Haier, reinforcing its role in regional supply chains and supporting Thailand’s industrial policy agenda to attract high-value foreign investment and enhance export capacity.