The Brunei Times
New Toyota factory pushes Thailand's truck industry
BAN PHO, THAILAND 17-Apr-07
EXECUTIVES at Toyota Motor's pristine new plant in a Bangkok suburb point out the factory is the first in Thailand to run on clean natural gas.
Equipped with robots and parts movers shuttling quietly on assembly floors, the US$426 million facility shows Thailand's recent political turmoil has not dented global carmakers' positive views on the country.
Thailand is the world's biggest producer of one-tonne trucks, with output projected at 853,000 units this year, outpacing the United States at 588,000 units, according to JD Power Automotive Forecasting.
It is the second biggest market for the versatile trucks that are a common sight in rural areas shifting people and farm produce. Domestic sales this year are forecast at 510,000 units, against 651,000 in the United States.
"The strength of our truck industry lies in the size of our domestic market that makes production cost competitive," said Vallop Tiasiri, director of the privately-funded Thailand Automotive Institute. "Our traditional political and labour stability also help."
The Toyota plant, opened last month, consolidates Thailand as a major export base for small pick-up trucks....."
Full article: http://www.bruneitimes.com.bn/details.p ... e_ID=27205
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