News

Summary

On the afternoon of 26 August, the second session of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce's "Visiting Benchmark Companies" series took place at Midea Intelligent Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Chamber Chairman Liu Quanlei led member company representatives to Midea's Thai factory to see its smart manufacturing, local operations and global supply chain first-hand. Dong Xin, founder and general manager of Z&X Finance and Taxation Group, attended as a member of the Service Trade Branch.

1. The second "Visiting Benchmark Companies" session: Midea

The delegation was received by Li Xiaojun, joint managing director of Midea Thailand, and Ren Yanhui, general manager of Midea Intelligent Manufacturing (Thailand).

Chamber leaders and member representatives included Chairman Liu Quanlei; Vice Chairman and Service Trade Branch President Liu Hualü; Director and Manufacturing Branch President Xia Mingkun; Service Trade Branch members Liang Wencong, Dong Xin, Li Ang, Baisiqingaowa and Liu Zhen; and Manufacturing Branch members Wu Heng, Fang Jianzhu, Fang Binquan and Liu Zhenxing.

The delegation learned about the company's smart manufacturing, local operations and global supply chain, and discussed investing and operating in Thailand, exchange rate risk, and testing and certification.

2. What we saw

The delegation first toured Midea's Thai production base, visiting workshops and smart production lines to learn about its production processes, digital management, quality control, local production and supply chain.

According to the Chamber, Midea has steadily expanded its investment in Thailand in recent years, combining the manufacturing, technology, management and supply chain experience it built in China with Thailand's market, talent and industrial environment, and continually raising the automation and localisation of its overseas production. Its Thai base has become an important part of Midea's global smart manufacturing network.

A credential worth noting: Midea's air-conditioner factory in Thailand was previously named a "Supply Chain Resilience Lighthouse" by the World Economic Forum, reflecting mature practice in digital production, supply chain coordination and localisation.

After the tour, Li Xiaojun welcomed the delegation and introduced Midea's development in Thailand. He said Midea has operated in Thailand for many years and, as its business grows, hopes to strengthen ties with the Chamber and other Chinese companies in Thailand and deepen cooperation on supply chains and business services.

3. The Chairman's remarks: from "setting up production" to "deep integration"

In his speech, Chairman Liu Quanlei said the visit gave a direct sense of how Chinese manufacturers keep strengthening their smart manufacturing, quality management and local operations. Manufacturing is the foundation of the real economy and a major force for Chinese companies in Thailand. More and more Chinese manufacturers are taking root in Thailand and ASEAN, promoting China–Thailand trade, industrial upgrading and job creation.

His view of Midea is worth quoting: as a representative global Chinese manufacturer, Midea's development in Thailand is not just about setting up production capacity, but a process of deep integration of manufacturing, technology, management and supply chain with the local market — a useful reference for Chinese companies investing in or expanding in Thailand.

He also explained the aim of the series: to take member companies out of meeting rooms and onto the shop floor, so that the paths, experience and resources of leading companies can be shared, moving companies from "knowing each other" to "understanding each other", and from "exchange" to "cooperation".

4. Z&X's view: for manufacturers going overseas, finance and tax are part of "integration"

For Z&X, the value of the visit was not seeing a production line, but seeing what "deep integration" looks like on the factory floor.

The "deep integration of manufacturing, technology, management, supply chain and the local market" that Chairman Liu described has a direct counterpart in finance and tax: when a manufacturer moves its capacity, supply chain and management system to Thailand, its books must also take a local shape. Separating BOI and non-BOI accounts, matching inventory records with the ledger, converting between Thai accounting standards and group consolidation, and setting up dual cost centres in the ERP are not finishing touches after the line is built; they happen alongside localisation.

This is one of the most common issues Z&X handles for Chinese manufacturers in Thailand: production management is mature, but finance still reports "whatever head office asks for", leaving a gap with how Thai authorities review the books. The three topics discussed on the day — investing and operating in Thailand, exchange rate risk, and testing and certification — cover three sides of that gap.

Z&X is structured as "three licensed firms in two countries": Zhongxin (China) Tax Agency, Zhongxin (Thailand) Accounting Firm and Zhongxin (Thailand) Audit Firm, with a Bangkok head office and an EEC office in WHA Industrial Estate, Chonburi. The EEC office sits inside the industrial estate to be close to manufacturing clients. With a team of more than 80, Z&X has served 300+ Chinese companies in Thailand and completed 100+ BOI projects since entering the Thai market in 2023, across new energy vehicle supply chains, auto parts and industrial manufacturing.

5. Connecting leading companies

The Chamber plans to visit more representative companies, using tours, talks, technical seminars and resource matchmaking to connect leading companies, pool resources and help members learn from one another, creating more opportunities for the high-quality, sustainable development of Chinese companies in Thailand.

As a member of the Service Trade Branch, Z&X will keep taking part in Chamber activities and sharing its three years of finance, tax and BOI experience in Thailand with Chinese manufacturers setting up and expanding there.

Source: Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, "From Manufacturing to Smart Manufacturing: Chamber Visits Benchmark Company Midea", 26 August 2026.