Chon Buri vs Rayong — Which Province for Your Thai Factory?
Both Chon Buri and Rayong sit on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard — 90 minutes from Bangkok, one port between them. But the two provinces serve different supply chains, and the choice matters more than most foreign buyers realize.
Port Access
Laem Chabang container port straddles the border but falls administratively in Chon Buri (Si Racha district). Factories in Chon Buri — Pinthong, Bowin, Si Racha — sit within 20-30 minutes truck. Factories in Rayong (Amata City Rayong, WHA Eastern Seaboard, Map Ta Phut) face 40-75 minutes depending on traffic and route.
For high-frequency container movements, the Chon Buri proximity delta matters. For bulk chemical or petrochemical shipments, Map Ta Phut's dedicated pier in Rayong wins outright.
Industrial Estate Tenant Mix
Chon Buri dominates automotive: Toyota Chachoengsao feeds Pinthong, Honda's Prachinburi plant feeds WHA, but the Tier 1/2 supplier ecosystem — seats, wiring harnesses, pressed parts, rubber — concentrates in Chon Buri estates.
Rayong is Map Ta Phut + EV transition: PTT, IRPC, and ~100 petrochemical plants cluster at Map Ta Phut industrial port. Simultaneously, Rayong is where Thailand's EV battery assembly push is landing — BYD's factory, AION, Foxconn.
Land and Lease Costs
Ready-built factories (RBF):
| Province | RBF rate (฿/sqm/month) | Land lease |
|---|---|---|
| Chon Buri | 220-320 | Higher (near port) |
| Rayong | 200-290 | Slightly lower inland |
Map Ta Phut industrial zone commands a premium for chemical-grade infrastructure (hazmat handling, dedicated pipelines). Rayong inland estates — WHA ESIE 3, Hemaraj Chonburi 8 — are more competitive on price.
Labor Pool and Cost
Chon Buri's tighter labor market means slightly higher wages for assembly line workers (฿12,000-15,000/month) compared to Rayong's mixed pool (฿11,000-14,000/month). Both provinces have large migrant worker populations from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia.
For high-skill manufacturing (precision machining, EMS), Chon Buri's proximity to Bangna-Trad corridor gives better access to engineers commuting from Bangkok.
Sector Fit
| Your sector | Better province |
|---|---|
| Automotive Tier 1/2 | Chon Buri |
| Petrochemical / specialty chemicals | Rayong (Map Ta Phut) |
| EV assembly / battery | Rayong (emerging) |
| Electronics, HDD, EMS | Chon Buri (WHA, Pinthong) |
| Packaging, plastics | Either — cost drives the call |
| Food manufacturing | Chon Buri or Nakhon Ratchasima |
| Logistics / 3PL | Chon Buri (port proximity) |
The Short Answer
Choose Chon Buri if you're in automotive supply chain, electronics, or need fast container turnaround. Choose Rayong if you're in petrochemicals, bulk chemicals, or targeting Thailand's EV manufacturing cluster.
Browse suppliers by estate at /best/industrial-estates or by category — auto parts, electronics, warehouses.