Mitsubishi Rehires in Thailand

After Mitsubishi Motors Thailand laid off 1,100 workers in the fourth quarter of last year and 330 more went into voluntary retirement, the Japanese carmaker announced it will rehire 1,000 workers. This plan comes in anticipation of stronger car demand and will take place from this year's fourth quarter.

MMT president, Nobuyuki Murahashi told local reporters “there are signs of rising orders domestically and from abroad”. Murashi also added that demand in Europe will take longer to recover.

The company estimates domestic sales to reach 22,700 units in 2009, up 19,200 units from 2008. As just-auto.com reported, the rising demand and falling inventories in the Middle East, ASEAN and Australia lead the Thailand branch of Mitsubishi Motors to anticipate exports higher than the 165,000 units sold in 2008.

The recovery plan forecasts the company will return to two shifts by the end of the year in one of the two plants in Laemchabang, near Chonburi. The move will more likely be a breath of fresh air for Thailand's economy, since its other automotive car plants don't seem to do as well.

While good news appear to make their way from Mitsubish Motors Thailand, another Japanese car manufacturer with plants located in Thailand said it expects sales to drop even further.

Toyota Motor Thailand, announced on Friday through the voice of vice-chairman Ninnart Chaithirapinyo that the company expects a 22 percent drop in domestic market sales.

This means that for all of 2009 the estimated sales figure is around 480,000 units, in contrast with the 615,000 units sold in 2008. Reports for the first-half of 2009 show a 28% decrease, to 231,428 units.