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   BUSINESS NEWS

HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:
Australian Ambassador relocating to France

Thai Rung Union Car revitalizing economy

Mazda Announces new “Fighter”

Katoen Natie (Thailand) to set up Thai Automotive Supply Center

Australian Ambassador relocating to France

The Hon. Alexander Downer, Australian Minister for foreign affairs, announced the appointment of William Fisher as Australia’s next Ambassador to the French Republic.

Mr. Fisher, who has been Australia’s ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand since the beginning of 1998, is expected to take up his new appointment in November 2000. He will replace John Spender, QC, who has been Australia’s Ambassador in the Republic of France since October 1996.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, one of the G7 group of nations, a key member of the European Union and NATO, and a Pacific neighbor, France is country of considerable importance to Australia.

Mr. Fisher’s appointment to the Republic of France comes at a time when Australia welcomes on-going French involvement in the Asia-Pacific and values France’s contribution to regional stability and development.

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Thai Rung Union Car revitalizing economy

Pouring 750 million into 3 projects

Thai Rung Union Car has high prospects for the auto industry’s future in Thailand and is planning to expand its operations in three areas within the next 2-3 years. Their sales target for this year was projected at 1.5 billion baht and at the half-year mark they reached 700 million baht in sales of auto parts to the South American continent.

Thai Rung Union Car announced this year’s operational plan was to increase investments through increasing production of auto parts and moulds to support the auto industry in Thailand. The plan includes pouring 750 million baht over the next 2-3 years into building a new auto parts and mould production plant at the Amata City Industrial Estates located on 20 rai of land in Rayong. The construction completion date is scheduled in the middle of 2001.

The new plant is a joint investment venture with Auto Alliance, which is still in the discussion stage. The new plant’s production will emphasize sales to GM, Ford and BMW in Thailand, but will also include exports.

Refrigerated compartments for vehicles transporting fruits, vegetables, meats and other perishable foods is another area under consideration, utilizing a 300 million baht investment in conjunction with a Japanese firm. A better summary is expected by the end of this year.

The third project consists of a 150 million baht investment to increase mould production at the original plant from 300 sets to 600 sets per year, which should be underway within the next two months.

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Mazda Announces new “Fighter”

Mazda and the Auto Alliance held a press conference at the Dusit Resort Pattaya on 16 August to announce the release of their new pick-up model, “Fighter”.

Mazda and Auto Alliance announced the release of their new pick-up, the Fighter.

The Fighter is equipped with a quiet, fuel-efficient 2,900 cc diesel engine, the first diesel engine produced in Thailand that passes the international emission test, EC Step II, which will be a future requirement in Thailand.

The Fighter’s air-conditioning system is also environmentally friendly, as it uses the chemical HFC 134a, having no negative affects on the earth’s atmosphere compared to the chemical CFC.

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Kotoen Natie (Thailand) to set up Thai Automotive Supply Center

David Nardone, Hemaraj’s president and Tom Vandemoortele, Authorized Director of Kateon Natie (Thailand) Ltd., sign and exchange the contract for the new facility.

Katoen Natie has set up a multi-customer logistic center called TASC (Thai Automotive Supply Center) in order to provide service for automotive suppliers and manufacturers. Katoen Natie (Thailand) Ltd. has acquired 12.2 rai at the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate (Rayong), developed by Hemaraj Land and Development PLC.

TASC will provide logistic services such as Supply in Line Sequence (SILS), Knocked Down (KD), Parts Distribution and light industry facilities for suppliers of the car manufacturing plants.

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