Industrial Transformation in ASEAN A Cluster-Driven Model for Regional and Global Collaboration 2026

CASE STUDY 3 Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate: laying the groundwork for a low-carbon industrial champion Context: Map Ta Phut, Thailand’s largest industrial estate and the world’s eighth-largest petrochemical hub, spans around 10,000 acres and hosts more than 150 national and international companies, including PTT Global Chemical (PTT GC), SCG Chemicals, Dow Chemicals, Indorama Ventures, Covestro and Mitsui Chemicals Group. Despite its significant contribution to Thailand’s GDP and exports, it remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Objective: Map Ta Phut seeks to build on its existing interconnected infrastructure, shared gas pipelines, and power and water systems to evolve into a low-carbon industrial cluster and aims to position Map Ta Phut as a flagship of Thailand’s industrial transition. Interventions: Map Ta Phut is building momentum for a low-carbon transition through  multi-level collaboration: –Industry collaboration: Anchor firms such as PTT GC, SCG Chemicals and Global Power Synergy (primary supplier of power and steam) have built trust and shaped an informal partnership model. Importantly, the petrochemical value chain exhibits industrial symbiosis, where upstream producers supply intermediates to downstream polymers and specialty chemical producers. –Government collaboration: Through representatives such as the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Petrochemical Industry Club of FTI (PEIT), the cluster works with the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) on sectoral regulations and incentives and it has established channels with the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Energy to address market reforms and renewable energy. Additionally, it collaborated with the Rayong provincial government and Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand for land, permitting and infrastructure, and included the World Bank in its decarbonization programme, ensuring local alignment. –International collaboration: The cluster engages partners such as the World Bank and GIZ for funding and technical collaboration. With this existing industrial symbiosis, and by addressing issues such as system impacts (steam production) due to the introduction of renewables, they aim to establish a low-carbon cluster while advancing technologies such as CCUS, energy storage solutions and required investments. Industrial Transformation in ASEAN: A Cluster-Driven Model for Regional and Global Collaboration 19