Thailand confirmed as Ford export-oriented production base

BANGKOK, August 30 (TNA) - An executive of Ford, a US-based world giant automobile manufacturer, has confirmed Thailand as its export-oriented production base. New Ford President for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Matt Bradley made the confirmation during his meeting with Thai Industry Minister M.R. Pongsvas Svasti in Bangkok on Thursday, also aimed to introduce himself. M.R. Pongsvas quoted Bradley as saying that Ford considers Thailand as one of its three important and growing automobile production bases in Asia and Thailand has become Ford’s export-oriented production base, as its plants in India and Shanghai in China now produce vehicles for domestic sales. The industry minister told reporters that the Ford executive also inquired about Thailand’s plan to change an excise tax on vehicles and he explained that the tax rates will depend on carbon dioxide emission and will be fair to all auto makers. According to the industry minister, Thailand is further improving transportation networks nationwide to facilitate local industries and transportation. Besides, the minister revealed that the Ford executive discussed Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's planned visit to the United States next month, during which Ford's management will meet her for business talks. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance's Fiscal Policy Office has forecast that the value of total Thai export should grow by only 5-6 per cent this year due mainly to an economic slowdown in China and Europe; while the Kasikorn Research Center (KRC), a leading Thai private think tank, has predicted that the value of total Thai export should expand by 7 per cent in 2012 amid the ongoing eurozone debt crisis and a slow recovery of some Thai industries, in the wake of a flooding crisis in the country late last year. (TNA)