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Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Special Incentives
Investment, land-tenure, and tax incentives available under the Eastern Economic Corridor Act B.E. 2561 (2018) covering Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao.
Overview
The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC / เขตพัฒนาพิเศษภาคตะวันออก) is Thailand's flagship special economic zone, established under the Eastern Special Development Zone Act B.E. 2561 (2018) — also called the EEC Act — covering the three eastern-seaboard provinces of Chonburi (ชลบุรี), Rayong (ระยอง) and Chachoengsao (ฉะเชิงเทรา). The EEC layer sits on top of BOI promotion and offers additional incentives targeted at 12 'next-generation' industries (S-curve sectors), most notably extended land-tenure rights for promoted projects, longer corporate-income-tax holidays, simplified visa/work-permit procedures, and a one-stop service through the EEC Policy Committee Office (EECO).
Key Points:
- Legal basis: Eastern Special Development Zone Act B.E. 2561 (2018) — พระราชบัญญัติเขตพัฒนาพิเศษภาคตะวันออก พ.ศ. 2561
- Geographic coverage: three provinces — Chonburi (ชลบุรี), Rayong (ระยอง), Chachoengsao (ฉะเชิงเทรา)
- Targeted industries: next-generation automotive, smart electronics, affluent medical & wellness tourism, agriculture & biotechnology, food for the future, robotics, aviation & logistics, biofuels & biochemicals, digital, medical hub, defence, education & human-resource development
- Land tenure: foreign-owned promoted projects may own land for the project (Section 48) and obtain leases of up to 50 years renewable for 49 years (total 99 years)
- Corporate-income-tax exemption: up to 15 years (combining BOI Section 31 / Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977) and EEC-specific top-ups), subject to qualifying expense thresholds
- EEC Visa ('EEC Work Permit / Smart Visa'): up to 4-year multi-entry for executives, specialists, researchers, and accompanying family members, processed through the EECO one-stop service
Geographic Coverage and EEC Promotion Zones
The EEC Act B.E. 2561 (2018) covers three provinces, with sub-zones designated by the EEC Policy Committee (กพอ.) for particular industries.
- Chonburi (ชลบุรี): aerospace/MRO around U-Tapao, logistics around Laem Chabang port
- Rayong (ระยอง): petrochemicals at Map Ta Phut industrial estate, EV battery and next-generation automotive clusters
- Chachoengsao (ฉะเชิงเทรา): smart-city development, agriculture & food processing
- Designated 'EECi' (innovation), 'EECd' (digital), 'EECa' (aerotropolis) sub-zones receive additional facilitation
Tax and Non-Tax Incentives
EEC incentives are administered jointly with BOI under Section 48 of the EEC Act B.E. 2561 (2018) and Section 31 of the Investment Promotion Act B.E. 2520 (1977).
- Corporate-income-tax exemption: standard BOI exemption (up to 8 years) plus up to 5 additional years of 50% reduction; total package can reach 13-15 years for top-tier S-curve projects
- Personal-income-tax rate reduction: a flat 17% on the income of qualifying executives and specialists (vs progressive rates up to 35%)
- Land ownership: promoted juristic persons may own land for the project, even if majority foreign-owned (an exception to the general Land Code prohibition)
- Long-term land lease: up to 50 years, renewable once for up to 49 years
- Import duty exemptions on machinery, raw materials for export, and R&D-related goods
- Streamlined customs and immigration procedures through EECO one-stop service
Application Pathway
Investors usually combine BOI promotion and EEC designation to access the full package of incentives.
- Step 1: Identify the target activity from the EEC's 12 S-curve list
- Step 2: File BOI application referencing EEC location and category
- Step 3: Once BOI promotion is granted, register the project with the EEC Policy Committee Office (EECO / สำนักงานคณะกรรมการนโยบายเขตพัฒนาพิเศษภาคตะวันออก)
- Step 4: Apply for EEC Visa / Smart Visa for foreign executives and specialists via the EECO one-stop centre
- Step 5: For land ownership, obtain EEC Policy Committee endorsement and register the title with the local Land Office under Section 48 of the EEC Act
Relevance for Foreign Nationals
The EEC is the most foreign-investor-friendly geography in Thailand. For projects that can credibly site themselves in Chonburi, Rayong or Chachoengsao and fall within the 12 S-curve industries, the EEC stack of incentives — particularly the 99-year effective land tenure and the flat 17% personal-income-tax rate for specialists — substantially improves the after-tax economics versus an identical project sited elsewhere in Thailand.
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