Geely’s Thai Assembly Move: The Final Nail in the Proton Export Coffin?

In 2017, the narrative was clear: Geely would provide the tech, and Proton would be the Right-Hand Drive (RHD) Crown Jewel for Southeast Asia. But as we cross into 2026, that crown is looking increasingly "Made in Thailand."

With the recent launch of Geely Auto Thailand and news of a potential assembly plant in the Kingdom, the question isn't just about competition, it’s about survival in the export race.

1. The "One Geely" Consolidation: A New Thai Giant

Under the global “One Geely” initiative, the automaker has officially unified its Thai operations. As of January 1, 2026, Alex Bao, Managing Director of Zeekr Thailand, has taken the helm of the newly formed Geely Auto Thailand, overseeing both Geely and Zeekr brands.

The Strategy:

• Geely: Targets the mass market with vehicles priced below 1 million Baht (~RM130,000).
• Zeekr: Dominates the premium segment with vehicles above 1 million Baht.
• The Integration: By merging office operations and sales teams, Geely is cutting redundancy to create a "unified war machine" right next door.

2. The Broken Promise? The RHD Hub Rivalry

When Geely invested in Proton, Tanjung Malim was earmarked as the Global Strategic Hub for RHD markets. However, the tide has shifted.

• The Thai Advantage: Geely is now mulling a car assembly plant in Thailand to capitalize on the government’s EV 3.5 policy. While the policy offered early incentives for imports, as of 2026, the massive subsidies, up to 100,000 Baht per unit, and the 2% excise tax rate are now strictly tied to local assembly.
• The Logic: By establishing a local production line to satisfy these Thai tax breaks, the economic incentive to import those same RHD models from Malaysia vanishes. If Geely can build, sell, and even export directly from Thailand, a move the Thai government now allows to count toward production quotas, Proton’s role as the exclusive regional RHD hub is effectively bypassed.

3. The "Twin" War: Geely EX2 vs. Proton e.MAS 5

We’ve already seen the first sign of this "friendly fire." While Proton launched the e.MAS 5 in Malaysia, Geely chose to launch the identical Geely EX2 in Thailand via their own distributor.

• The Veto: Observers suggest Geely has effectively "vetoed" Proton’s return to the Thai market by launching Geely-badged twins of Proton models.
• The Export Reality: While Proton aims to export 60,000 units annually by 2030, its star EV, the e.MAS 7, is currently finding its feet in Singapore, while Thailand is already becoming the primary RHD launchpad for Geely’s latest global models like the EX2 and Riddara RD6.

Is the Hub Moving?

For years, the Malaysian automotive narrative leaned on the promise that Proton would be Geely’s gateway to the Right-Hand Drive (RHD) world. Even with the RM32 billion Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) project signaling a massive commitment to Tanjung Malim, the "One Geely" consolidation in Thailand proves that the era of exclusivity has ended.

Geely isn't waiting for Proton to "graduate" into an exporter; they are building a secondary engine right next door. In the 2026 ASEAN landscape, being a "National Car" is a local victory, but being a "Regional Hub" requires a speed that Thailand is currently dictating.

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Read: AHTV Succeeds Shah Alam As Proton’s Next-Generation Manufacturing Hub

Read: Proton e.MAS 5 Set To Skip Thailand, But Geely EX2 ‘Twin’ Won't