In the past few years, Vietnam has been distinguished by increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) in the manufacturing sector, particularly from investors in China and Japan. Although Vietnam's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropped during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the slowdown in manufacturing investment, effective epidemic management and control in early 2021 helped the manufacturing investment ecosystem in Vietnam rebound, leading to a GDP growth of more than 8% in 2022. According to the World Bank's forecast, Vietnam's potential Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to continue expanding significantly from 2.6% in 2021 to 6.3% in 2023. Vietnam is therefore one of the countries in the Greater Mekong Region that is targeted for development projects and investments by the Company. 

The Company has been investing in Vietnam since 1994, giving them 28 years of investment experience in the country. Currently, the Company has developed six industrial estates and cities in Vietnam based on the concept of “Perfect Smart City”, covering a total of 2,616 hectares or 16,350 rai of land. All of these lands have been approved for Investment Registration Certificates in the southern and northern regions of Vietnam.  In 2022, the Company's projects in Vietnam, which are managed by AMATA VN Public Company Limited, experienced growth due to the expansion of the technology and clean energy industries which were positively affected by changes in consumer behaviors during the COVID-19 crisis as well as an increase in purchasing power due to the overall economic growth of domestic market.  

Following the announcement of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 to enhance the connectivity of the Chinese economy with other regions of the world, Laos is one of the land routes connecting the transportation of goods from Kunming in Yunnan, China through northern Laos to Southeast Asia via a 1,035-kilometer-long medium-speed rail. This has resulted in investment in infrastructure development, particularly the China-Laos railway from Boten on the border between China and Laos, to the capital Vientiane. This Vientiane-Boten railway was officially operated since December 2021. 

The emergence of the China-Laos railway presents a significant opportunity to connect the high potential economies of both China and Southeast Asia. This has inspired the Company’s vision to develop a perfect city that creates opportunities for all stakeholders. As a result, AMATA City Lao Sole Co., Ltd. was established in 2020 to develop a Smart and Eco City in Laos.  In each project, it is possible to connect to Lao’s electricity grid, with a source of renewable energy production (hydropower) and the development of a smart network within the project to fulfill the business’s renewable energy demands. It is expected that operations will commence in early 2023. 

However, in developing business in Laos, the Company has recognized the importance of maintaining the quality of the environment in conjunction with local economic development. Therefore, the Company has adopted several environmental care and management models used in project areas in Thailand to be applied to the Laos project. This includes water and waste management policies, green area development and management, and stakeholder engagement to achieve balanced growth. The Company has initiated the idea of encouraging companies who will have operations in this industrial estate to contribute to environmental impact reduction and nearby forest protection by allocating  their profit to these activities that also promote the participation of companies within the project according to the Company's ALL WIN business philosophy.