Thailand has just made a major discovery that could revolutionize the energy sector. An impressively large supply of lithium, estimated at approximately 15 million tonsdiscovered in Phang Nga province, in the south of the country, near the famous tourist island of Phuket.

The deposits, estimated at 14.8 million tons, would put Thailand among the number the main owners of lithium in the worlda mineral that has become important in the global energy transition.

One of the largest reserves of lithium in the world

Lithium, identified by the European Commission as a “critical” metal in 2020, plays a crucial role in the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Thailand, as a major auto manufacturing center, sees the discovery as a strategic opportunity to accelerate its transition to electric power.

A deputy government spokesman stressed that it will take time to determine usable quantities, but that discovery is already putting Thailand third in the world in terms of lithium reservessecond only to Bolivia (23 million tons) and Argentina (20 million), which hold nearly half of the world’s reserves of this much-coveted “white gold.”

First localized production?

Prime Minister Sretta Thawisin expressed her commitment to an accelerated transition to electric vehicles in Thailand. This discovery of lithium strengthens the country’s position in this energy transition, paving the way for local production of batteries to drive the growth of the electric vehicle market.

At the same time, the Chinese giant BYD plans to start production of its first electric cars this year at a new plant located in Rayong, in eastern Thailand. This facility will be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia and will help position Thailand as a key player in “electrical revolution” In the region

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