Honda opens new plant in Thai East

PRACHINBURI, THAILAND, May 13 (TNA) - Japan-based Honda Motor Co., Ltd has officially opened its new production base at the Rojana Industrial Park in Prachin Buri Province in the Thai East. Present at the opening ceremony on May 12 were Japanese Ambassador to Thailand Shiro Sadoshima, as well as Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and Industry Minister Atchaka Sribunruang. The new Honda plant, worth 17.15 billion baht, stands on a 134-rai plot of land (2.5 rais = 1 acre) and has its production capacity of 120,000 vehicles annually. The Prachin Buri plant, where Honda's state-of-the-art production technology is applied for the first time, has already started its export-oriented production, while its manufacturing engines and auto parts include plastic ones for worldwide exports. The plant started to produce new Honda Civic cars in March 2016 and it will make compact and subcompact vehicles in the future for both local and international markets. Meanwhile, Deputy Premier Somkid, who oversees economic affairs, thanked Honda for the new plant, saying that the company's new manufacturing base shows Thailand is a major location for automobile production and exports. The deputy premier acknowledged that the automobile industry has played important roles in Thailand's economic development so far. Thailand-based Honda plants exported vehicles worth 37.99 billion baht last year, a 44 per cent year-on-year jump due to rising demand on the world market. (TNA)