Pinthong, Amata, WHA, Rojana — Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estates Compared
Thailand's Eastern Seaboard manufacturing belt is anchored by four estate operators: Pinthong, Amata, WHA (post-Hemaraj merger), and Rojana. They all sound similar from the outside but profile differently on tenant mix, port access, lease economics, and infrastructure model. This guide breaks down the differences for buyers shortlisting a Thai manufacturing base.
Pinthong — port-adjacent, automotive-heavy
Pinthong operates 5 estates in the Sriracha / Bowin area, with Pinthong Industrial Estate 1 being the flagship. Strongest single attribute: physical proximity to Laem Chabang container port (under 30 min by truck). Tenant mix skews automotive Tier 2/3 and packaging — Sumitomo, Bridgestone, Yamaha, Daikin all have facilities here or in walking distance. Best fit for: export-heavy buyers shipping containers, automotive parts manufacturers, and anyone whose lead time is dominated by ocean freight.
Amata — large-scale infrastructure ownership
Amata City Chonburi and Amata City Rayong are the two flagship estates. Amata's distinctive model: it owns and operates infrastructure (water, power substations, waste treatment) directly rather than leaving it to industrial-estate authority. Tenant mix is broad — Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, Mazda automotive plants all have facilities in or near Amata estates. Occupancy runs 90%+ in the flagship Chonburi estate. Amata also operates an industrial estate in Hanoi (Vietnam) — useful for buyers planning Thailand+Vietnam dual-base manufacturing. Best fit for: buyers wanting integrated infrastructure (less utility-side risk), large-scale long-term tenants, and Japanese automotive supply chain.
WHA (post-Hemaraj merger) — largest by area
WHA acquired Hemaraj in 2015 and now operates 11 estates across Thailand totaling ~7,800 hectares — the largest industrial-estate operator in Thailand by total leased area. Tenant mix is the most diverse of the four: Tier 1 automotive (AGC, Toyoda Gosei), petrochemical (in Rayong properties adjacent to Map Ta Phut), electronics, food, logistics. WHA Logistics Park 2 (formerly Hemaraj Logistics) is a top warehouse cluster for 3PL operators. Best fit for: buyers wanting tenant-base diversity (multi-supplier sourcing in one zone), and warehouse / 3PL tenants.
Rojana — most distributed footprint
Rojana operates estates in Chonburi/Rayong (Eastern Seaboard) but is also strongest in Ayutthaya and Prachinburi — outside the dense Eastern Seaboard cluster. The Ayutthaya estates host Honda automotive and Sony electronics plants; Prachinburi serves food and packaging. Best fit for: buyers wanting to escape Eastern Seaboard congestion and labor cost pressure, food/agriculture-adjacent operations, or those needing Bangkok proximity (Ayutthaya is 1 hour north of Bangkok vs Rayong's 2.5 hours).
Lease rate context
Standard ready-built factory (RBF) lease rates across all four estates run THB 200-320 / sqm / month for standard tenants in 2026. Land lease rates run THB 6-12 million / rai / 30-year lease for raw industrial land. Premium estates (Amata flagship Chonburi, Pinthong 1) command top of range. Newer estates and Ayutthaya properties run lower. All four estates offer BOI tax incentive support (typically 5-8 year corporate income tax holiday for qualifying manufacturing) — apply through the Thailand Board of Investment, not the estate itself.
How to actually shortlist
Decision tree: (1) If port-export is the core economics → Pinthong. (2) If you want infrastructure reliability for capital-intensive operations → Amata. (3) If you want diverse co-located suppliers (multi-supplier sourcing) or 3PL warehouse → WHA. (4) If Eastern Seaboard congestion / labor cost is a concern → Rojana Ayutthaya or Prachinburi. Visit at least two before committing — leasing terms, corporate-tenant culture, and on-site amenities differ noticeably.
Frequently asked
Which estate has the best lease rates?⌄
All four are within ~25% of each other for ready-built factory lease. Rojana Ayutthaya and newer WHA properties are lowest; Amata flagship Chonburi and Pinthong 1 are highest. The 25% spread rarely outweighs other factors (port access, supplier ecosystem, infrastructure model).
Can I tour an estate before signing?⌄
Yes — all four operate visitor centers and offer scheduled tours. Contact the leasing office directly (phone listed on Thai Supply Hub estate pages) to arrange. A typical tour covers a sample factory unit, infrastructure facilities, and amenities.
What about Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate?⌄
Map Ta Phut is a separate cluster operated by IEAT (Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand) plus several private operators. It's specifically the petrochemical cluster — PTT, IRPC, PTTGC, SCG Chemicals operate integrated complexes here. Different operator, different tenant profile from the four above.
Are these estates only for large tenants?⌄
No — most operators offer ready-built factories from ~1,500 sqm up to 30,000+ sqm. Smaller (sub-1,000 sqm) tenants typically lease in incubator-style sub-zones or share larger facilities. Direct lease office contact via supplier listings clarifies what's available currently.