Senior Chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group Unveils New Business Plans: Robotics and Power Generation, at THE STANDARD ECONOMIC FORUM 2026

Marketing Oops

Published 2026-11-06

M31 NEWS · Thailand economy, industry and insight — M31 NEWS

Key summary

At the THE STANDARD ECONOMIC FORUM 2026, Mr. Dhanin Chearavanont, Senior Chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), revealed two new business directions: robotics development and power generation. In the robotics sector, CP is partnering with Chinese scientists to develop robots for agriculture, factories, and retail. The development process is expected to take 9-10 months, with AI being used to train the robots. The goal is to sell these robots to external customers within the next 10 years, with the expectation that they will perform as well as humans. Regarding power generation, Mr. Dhanin stated that CP needs to be involved in this business to meet the energy demands of data centers and new technologies. Initially, the company will rely on natural gas, but in the long term, it anticipates that small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) will be ready by around 2030 to produce electricity at a lower cost and with greater safety.

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Business Insight — Publisher’s Perspective

The Charoen Pokphand Group's strategic pivot toward robotics and power generation may signal shifting operational priorities for businesses in Thailand. For manufacturers and distributors, the development of agricultural, factory, and retail robots could eventually offer alternatives to human labor, potentially reducing workforce costs and addressing labor shortages in sectors like 24-hour convenience stores or distribution centers, though commercial availability is projected around a decade away. The emphasis on 'Dark Factory' concepts might encourage facilities to redesign energy and lighting systems for efficiency, but immediate adoption depends on technology maturation. Regarding power generation, the statement that natural gas remains essential in the short term while Small Modular Reactors are viewed as a long-term solution by 2030 suggests that businesses relying on high energy consumption, such as data centers or AI-driven operations, should monitor domestic supply stability and potential regulatory shifts toward nuclear readiness. However, CP's assertion that Thailand must prepare capacity for foreign investment does not guarantee immediate infrastructure expansion; companies may need to plan for evolving energy costs or grid constraints without assuming uninterrupted supply. The partnership with Chinese scientists on robotics indicates a focus on practical industrial applications rather than humanoid mimicry, which could influence how local firms evaluate automation vendors prioritizing operational accuracy over anthropomorphic design.

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