Ford opens new plant in Thai East

BANGKOK, May 4 (TNA) - Ford, a leading US car manufacturer, opened its second plant in Thailand on Thursday, at the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate in Rayong Province, giving the firm the ability to produce 445,000 vehicles a year, both sedans and trucks, in its long-run plan. US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney, Thai officials and Ford executives took part in a ceremony to inaugurate the new 14-billion-baht or 450-million-US dollar-plant. The "Ford Focus" will be the first model produced by the second Ford plant in Thailand, which is located only seven kilometres far from the first one, where 295,000 sedans and trucks have been produced annually. (TNA)