BANGKOK -- Foreign direct investment in Thailand plunged last year amid the coronavirus pandemic, data released Thursday shows, but spending from Japan increased, allowing it to top China as the leading investor in the Southeast Asian country.
Foreign companies applied to make roughly 213.1 billion baht ($7.14 billion) in direct investments, a 54% drop, Thailand's Board of Investment reported. The number of applications dipped 3% to 907 filings.