Industry Ministry confirmed all Japanese companies remain at Saha Rattanakorn Industrial Estate

BANGKOK, 26 January 2012 – The Ministry of Industry has brushed aside rumors of the departure of some Japanese businesses from an industrial estate, which was severely submerged during last year’s flood crisis.

Mr. Nattapol Nattasomboon, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Industry Ministry in charge of the Saha Rattanakorn Industrial Estate, affirmed on Wednesday that, to date, there has not been a single departure of any businesses operating at this Industrial Estate.

The Saha Rattanakorn Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya Province was once under 2.5-meter water, when the country’s worst flood crisis in decades hit the country last year.

Earlier, there have been reports, which suggested that 14 Japanese factories have ceased their operations at this industrial estate.

However, Mr. Nattapol said that those factories only relocated production lines temporarily while awaiting compensations from the insurance companies and details of new flood prevention measures.

He stated that once business operators are assured of the government’s flood prevention measuresan, all will resume their productions at the Saha Rattanakorn Industrial Estate again.

The deputy industry ministry permanent secretary added that a new earthen dyke project is being reviewed by the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand and the construction company is expected to be hired by the end of February.
If things go as planned, he believes that the dyke will be completed by August.

According to Mr. Nattapol, there are 43 factories operating at the Saha Rattanakorn Industrial Estate, with only 6 of them are fully operational at the moment.

(NNT : Nopparat Chaichalearmmongkol)

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