Holley Group's Chinatown in Thailand has green ambitions

Industrial zone near Bangkok contributes to the local economy by boosting tax coffers and job opportunities

When you talks about Chinatowns, the first thing that comes to your mind is a place with high archways, picturesque shops, red lanterns, and streets full of Chinese people going about their daily lives.

But 114 kilometers outside of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, lies another Chinatown that is looking to establish China's green credentials in the global marketplace. At the Rayong Industrial Zone, there are no red lanterns or archways on display. Instead what greets visitors are expansive green lawns and sprawling factory buildings of several Chinese companies that make new-energy materials, automobile accessories and electronic gadgets.