Sweden's Gripen International, which earlier sold six fighter aircrafts to the Royal Thai Air Force, is expected to invest in setting up a maintenance cevironment and Energyntre in Thailand, said Thai Industry Minister Charnchai Chairungrueng.

Charnchai was speaking after meeting the firm's senior executives in Stockholm, which has supplied fighter planes to a number of countries. Thai News Agency said the firm wants to invest in establishing an aviation information and maintenance centre.

He said the company would seek investment details from the Thai government's Board of Investment (BOI).

Thailand purchased six fighter aircraft from Gripen in October 2007. If the maintenance centre is set up by the company, Thailand would receive both new foreign investment and also innovative technology.