Brief
Amata Corp CEO says Laos will become the group’s biggest focus
Amata Corp plans to grow its Laos footprint to 200 sq km, targeting Chinese manufacturers and leveraging the country’s hydro power surplus.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Amata Corporation, the Thai real‑estate developer behind a network of industrial parks in Thailand and Vietnam, announced that Laos will become its "largest focus" in the coming years, CEO Vikrom Kromadit told Fortune on Oct. 12.
What happened
Kromadit said the company’s Laos strategy began in 2022 with the launch of Amata City Namor, a 31.5‑square‑kilometre site adjacent to a station on the China‑Laos Railway. The firm now envisions a total land bank of up to 200 sq km in the country. The expansion aims to attract Chinese manufacturers shifting production to Southeast Asia under the "China‑plus‑one" model.
What the report adds
Fortune notes that Laos, the region’s only land‑locked nation, generates roughly 80 % of its electricity for export, mainly from more than 80 hydro‑electric plants that together produce over 12 GW of capacity. While most cross‑border transmission lines bypass local communities, the surplus has positioned Laos as a "battery of Southeast Asia," according to Kromadit. The article also cites the Vientiane Times that China invested $18 billion in Laos in 2025, largely for industry, mining and agriculture.
What was said
"Laos will become our largest focus because of the land bank that they have," Kromadit told Fortune. He added, "They also have lots of green energy—that’s why they’re called the battery of Southeast Asia." The CEO also highlighted the country’s natural assets, saying, "They have plenty of land and a lot of water," and that these conditions are "the best natural conditions" for industrial development.
How it came about
Amata Corporation, founded in 1989, first built industrial parks in Thailand’s Rayong and Chon Buri provinces before expanding to Vietnam in 1994, during the latter’s early market‑reform era. The Laos move follows the developer’s success in Thailand and Vietnam and reflects broader regional shifts as Chinese firms seek alternative manufacturing bases to mitigate tariffs and diversify supply chains.
Key facts
- Amata City Namor, launched in 2022, covers 31.5 sq km beside the China‑Laos Railway. (fortune.com)
- Amata aims to expand its Laos land bank to 200 sq km. (fortune.com)
- Laos exports about 80 % of its electricity, generated by over 80 hydro plants totalling more than 12 GW. (fortune.com)
- China invested $18 billion in Laos in 2025, mainly for industry, mining and agriculture. (fortune.com)
- CEO Vikrom Kromadit said Laos will become Amata’s largest focus because of land and green‑energy resources. (fortune.com)
Sources
- [1] fortune.com — originally reported as “Vikrom Kromadit built his industrial park empire in Thailand and Vietnam. Laos is next”
