Honda suspends Thai car output as coronavirus emergency declared

 

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Honda is pictured at the 38th Bangkok International Motor Show in Bangkok, Thailand March 28, 2017. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Honda's Thai business said it would suspend operations at two factories on Thursday after Thailand declared a state of emergency to curb the spread of coronavirus.

 

Honda Automobile (Thailand) said in a statement it was suspending operations of its Complete Built-up Vehicle production operation (CBU) in two Thai provinces, from March 27 to April 30, in response to the escalating coronavirus pandemic.

 

Thailand, which is a regional vehicle production and export base for the world's top automobile manufacturers, has reported a total of 1,045 cases of coronavirus and four deaths since the outbreak started in January.

 

Honda said it will suspend its CBU production at plants in both Ayutthaya and Prachinburi provinces, allowing staffs to work from home and encourage them to avoid travelling and follow Thai government measures on containing the coronavirus.

 

It also said that the pandemic is causing a market downturn, adding to pressure on auto sales in Thailand, where domestic sales tumbled for the ninth straight month in February, down 17.1% from a year earlier to 68,271 vehicles, hit by tougher lending by banks and the coronavirus outbreak.

 

In 2019, car sales contracted 3.3% and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has cut its forecast for 2020 domestic sales by 50,000 to 950,000 vehicles.

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Alexander Smith)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-27

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There will be many consequences of this virus, massive unemployment being one. I wonder if Thailand will be politically changed when this is all over?

Ford are doing the same, today is their last shift.

Honda is  not doing so well anymore , they are already almost at the point of  dumping  Australia dropping  half the dealers, they went awol quite some years  ago. Ford is  also maybe going to end up like Chevrolet? this  might give  them the  excuse they need to bail  out

 

https://www.marklines.com/en/statistics/flash_sales/salesfig_thailand_2019

 

2019 vehicle sales in Thailand down 3.3%, production down 7.1%
According to MarkLines Data Center, December vehicle sales in Thailand declined 21.4% year over year to 89,285 units. 2019 full year vehicle sales in Thailand declined 3.3% year over year to 1,007,552 units.
By brand sales in 2019, Toyota was up 5.5% to 331,878 units. Isuzu was down 5.4% to 168,215 units and Honda was down 1.9% to 125,833 units. 

Edited March 27, 20206 yr by metisdead
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58 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

There will be many consequences of this virus, massive unemployment being one. I wonder if Thailand will be politically changed when this is all over?

Might be what  finally  nails it for the govt.....live  in hope

3 hours ago, webfact said:

allowing staffs to work from home

How can they make cars at home?

8 minutes ago, Wiggy said:

How can they make cars at home?

Not every employee of a manufacturing facility works on the actual shop floor.

 

Ford staff have been WFH for a week or so allready, Their closure today will be the line workers/storeman/pickers/packers/bodyshop/paintshop ETC ETC ETC.

4 hours ago, Chazar said:

Honda is  not doing so well anymore , they are already almost at the point of  dumping  Australia dropping  half the dealers, they went awol quite some years  ago. Ford is  also maybe going to end up like Chevrolet? this  might give  them the  excuse they need to bail  out

 

https://www.marklines.com/en/statistics/flash_sales/salesfig_thailand_2019

 

2019 vehicle sales in Thailand down 3.3%, production down 7.1%
According to MarkLines Data Center, December vehicle sales in Thailand declined 21.4% year over year to 89,285 units. 2019 full year vehicle sales in Thailand declined 3.3% year over year to 1,007,552 units.
By brand sales in 2019, Toyota was up 5.5% to 331,878 units. Isuzu was down 5.4% to 168,215 units and Honda was down 1.9% to 125,833 units. 

A car dealer here in Perth told me yesterday that Honda will eventually close all dealers and cars will be sold from one large holding area at a fixed price only, no haggling. Take it or leave it !!

12 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

Not every employee of a manufacturing facility works on the actual shop floor.

 

Ford staff have been WFH for a week or so allready, Their closure today will be the line workers/storeman/pickers/packers/bodyshop/paintshop ETC ETC ETC.

It was a joke. 

1 hour ago, Wiggy said:

How can they make cars at home?

Falang do not undelstand .Sure 

5 hours ago, Don Mega said:

Ford are doing the same, today is their last shift.

At least look on the bright side less breakdowns

on a different note, lets hope the production lines at the big food companies CP, Big C, Tesco, Makro don't get affected. I really hope they have a plan in place.

 

and the logistics companies that deliver everything that magically appears in stores.

 

you know what I mean if you have ever watched a truck being unloaded in the middle of the night at a 7 eleven. 

 

not much else to do here in Hua Hin. and that was before the world ended.

 

 

 

The real question is will it ever recover or will Thailand's poor handling of the epidemic cause a permanent shutdown.

Meanwhile, GM executives are quietly patting each other on the back for the perfect timing in shuttering their operations.

5 hours ago, Chazar said:

Honda is  not doing so well anymore , they are already almost at the point of  dumping  Australia dropping  half the dealers, they went awol quite some years  ago. Ford is  also maybe going to end up like Chevrolet? this  might give  them the  excuse they need to bail  out

Yep will they ever restart here?

24 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

you know what I mean if you have ever watched a truck being unloaded in the middle of the night at a 7 eleven. 

Trucks belonging to the Australian company Linfox

 

https://www.linfox.com/

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Wiggy said:

How can they make cars at home?

Thai can also make boxes full of Heineken beer at home, or brand name whisky.....and you won't see the difference.

Troll post removed.

Honda Swindon (UK) is due to close next year. It's shut right now, possibly never to re-open.

6 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

Falang do not undelstand .Sure 

Four old beers boxes to sit the frame on, do everything with some old pliers an old knife for a screwdriver, what more do you want.

On 3/27/2020 at 9:43 AM, fruitman said:

Thai can also make boxes full of Heineken beer at home, or brand name whisky.....and you won't see the difference.

And after drinking it you might not see anything for the rest of your life.

On 3/27/2020 at 4:08 AM, AlexRich said:

There will be many consequences of this virus, massive unemployment being one. I wonder if Thailand will be politically changed when this is all over?

Cn only hpe. Prayuth appears to be making the fully expected dog's dinner of it so far.