Initial capital investment for the project would be US$1 billion (Bt35.81 billion) to produce of 20,000 units a year. The plant is expected to employ at least 10,000 people.

Ford Motor group vice president Ziad Ojakli and vice president Stephen Beigun of Ford Operations (Thailand) met with the minister yesterday to obtain information on the government's eco-car manufacturing support.

Besides South American and East European countries, Thailand is one of Ford's target areas to set up an eco-car manufacturing facility. 

The company will make a final decision by May after they have considered the government's policy to promote eco-car production, which will come out in March.

Krirk-krai said Ford is due to meet with Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras and the Board of Investment to establish what "favourable incentives" the government would provide to carmakers who focusing on eco-car production.

Eco cars are small vehicles that require less than 5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres.

Krirk-krai said he was confident the company would invest in Thailand because of the country's location in Southeast Asia, and the region was a huge market with a population of more than 550 million.

An eco-car production plant in Thailand would not only have access to the domestic market, but also to other Asean members and lucrative markets like China, he added.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation