Ford Begins Thai Fiesta Production

The roll out plan of Ford's global hit, the Fiesta, continued this week with the announcement that production of the model began at the AutoAlliance Thailand brand new facility in Rayong. Production of the car is expected to really takes off in the following weeks, as the carmaker plans to begin local sales of the model this September.

“Today's celebration and start of production in Thailand marks the latest milestone in the global success story for Ford Fiesta," Raj Nair, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa Operations said in a statement, just after witnessing the first two Fiestas roll off the assembly lines..

“The Fiesta – which is now being built in five of Ford's global production hubs and available on five continents – is a leading example of our One Ford plan to develop vehicles that meet the needs, wants and expectations of customers around the world.”

The new facility erected by Ford and AutoAlliance is the result of a $500 million investment. The money were used both to erect the facility and equip the plant with auto manufacturing technologies.

“This new facility underscores the importance Ford places on the Thai market and the ASEAN region,” Nair added. “Fiesta will be built utilizing the latest auto manufacturing technologies to ensure world-class safety, quality and environmental friendliness.”

The Thai production hub became operational a little over a month after Ford announced the start of production for the Fiesta in Mexico. After what was perhaps the longest model launch in the history of the automobile, the Fiesta will reach American dealerships this summer.