To become the world's top 10, Thailand really need the Japanese......

Thailand has set a goal of producing 1.8 million vehicles by 2010 and become one of the world's top 10 automotive manufacturers. A manageable ambition indeed considering that Thailand is the largest automotive manufacturer in Southeast Asia sitting at number 15 in the global scale with more than 900,000 vehicles produced in 2004.

How can Thailand prepare itself to achieve such a magnificient feat? One way is through concerted effort from the Japanese, a fervent supporter of the auto industry and a very well entrenched player in Thailand automotive market. The Japanese have been instrumental in spearheading the development of automotive industry and one area of interest is skill building among the Thai workforce.

Program to churn out skilled workforce, a collaboration of Thailand Automotive Institute (TAI) and the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) has finally taken shape in a bigger scale. It plans to produce about 10,000 engineers and technicians every year through curriculum overhaul in schools across Thailand. These graduates are expected to fill up the burgeoning demand for skilled staffs at Japanese plants which are scattered across Thailand. With an adequate and cost effective labor pool, production of automotive vehicles is less likely to be transferred to the mighty China too. This can be construed as a welcomed relief to Thailand's aspiration to become an automotive powerhouse by 2010.