Thai firm Gulf Energy Development Plc. plans to develop power plants in Vietnam and Laos to strengthen its presence in Indochina.
Ratthaphol Cheunsomchit, deputy chief executive, said that Gulf had submitted its power generation plan to the Vietnamese government for the future development of a gas-fired power plant with an initial capacity of 6,000MW. Gulf plans to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel for the project in Vietnam, he said.
For Laos, Gulf wants to develop a hydroelectric power plant with a Chinese company to distribute electricity to the state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. The project in Laos is projected to have a capacity of 2,500MW, of which Gulf plans to have a 30-35 per cent stake.
"A final decision will be made on the two new power plants sometime in 2020," said Ratthaphol. "For Vietnam, the gas-fired power plant is part of Gulf's plan to become an LNG shipper in Southeast Asia because of rising gas demand."
Plans for these large projects were drawn up after two gas-fired power plants with a capacity of 5,200MW in Chon Buri and Rayong began construction.
Gulf expects to increase revenue from infrastructure projects to 20 per cent of its total revenue in 5-7 years.
Previously, on June 19, 2019, Gulf Group held the inauguration ceremony of TTC No.01 and TTC No.02 solar power plants in Thanh Thanh Cong Industrial Zone, Tay Ninh province.
TTC Solar Power Project No.01 was built on an area of 69.5 hectares, of which the area for installing solar PV panels is 42.53ha. Having a capacity of 68.8MWp, the project will provide the national electricity system with an electricity output of about 106 million kWh per year.
Next to it, TTC solar power project No.02 was built on an area of 50.06ha, including 39.22ha for PV panels. The projects generates 50 MWp in capacity, providing the national grid with an output of about 78 million kWh per year. These two projects represent a total investment of $115 million.
As of date, Thailand ranks ninth among 132 countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 549 projects and a total investment of $10.82 billion.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to rank among the world’s top 40 in the GII; raise total social investment in R&D to at least 2% of GDP, with non-State funding accounting for over 60%; increase international scientific publications by an average of 10% annually; and raise the number of patent applications and granted patents by an average of 16-18% annually.
The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate at 25,624 VND/USD on October1, down 3 VND from the previous day.
Quang Ninh's GRDP grew 15.04% in the third quarter, also leading the country.
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Vietnam needs a comprehensive policy framework to remove legal and procedural bottlenecks and create conditions for offshore wind power projects to access long-term investment capital, helping to unlock the country’s substantial offshore wind potential, said insiders.
Under a decision of the municipal People’s Committee on establishing an inter-agency working group, departments and agencies are responsible for identifying facilities subject to greenhouse gas inventories, developing emissions-reduction plans and studying projects capable of generating carbon credits.
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Vietnam is seen as a potential market, with considerable room for growth in real estate, particularly commercial property, compared with some regional markets. Strong Vietnam-Russia ties and opportunities to establish foreign-invested enterprises are also considered favourable for Russian investors.
For 2021-2030, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposed bringing forward the investment in a parallel taxiway system and a connecting taxiway north of Runway No. 2 at Phu Quoc International Airport, in order to connect with the aircraft maintenance and repair facility (hangar) planned for the northern area of the airport.
For LNG-fired power to fulfill its role in Vietnam’s energy transition, bottlenecks in institutions, infrastructure, electricity pricing, PPAs, power dispatch and financing must be addressed together.
From policy and infrastructure to industrial real estate, Vietnam’s FDI advantages are broadening towards a more integrated production ecosystem, offering investors a stronger combination of conditions for high-value, technology-intensive and long-term projects.
As trade expands, systemic bottlenecks across transport networks, warehousing, ports, border gates, and industrial zones are becoming more apparent. Experts emphasise the need to shift from a fragmented, project-by-project approach toward strategic management structured around trade corridors and integrated supply chains.
The company will buy non-performing loans from credit institutions and foreign bank branches, recover and dispose of debts and collateral, restructure loans and support lenders in resolving bad debts.
Do Ngoc Hung, Trade Counsellor and head of the Vietnam Trade Office in the US, said what stands out is not only the growth in trade volume but also the increasingly deep economic ties between the two countries.
According to the Ministry of Finance, State budget revenue in the first eight months of 2026 was estimated at 2.02 quadrillion VND (77.7 billion USD), equivalent to 80% of the annual estimate and up 16% year-on-year. Domestic revenue reached 1.75 quadrillion VND, accounting for 86.6% of total revenue and rising 16.6%.
Hanoi aims to achieve average annual export growth of at least 12% during 2026-30, with the city seeking to diversify export markets, boost high-tech and value-added products and reduce reliance on traditional markets.
Great reliance on the state budget and conventional bank lending could put considerable pressure on the financial system, making it necessary to develop new and sustainable sources of funding from both domestic and international capital markets.