Toyota denies introducing automation to replace manpower



BANGKOK: -- The recent mass layoffs of 800-900 subcontract workers through voluntary resignation programme at Toyota Motors (Thailand) assembly plants was due to car export cutback to the Middle East market, labour deputy permanent secretary Sumet Mahosot announced today (Thursday).

In the presence of Mr Chatchai Thaweesakulwatchara, deputy managing director of Toyota Motors (Thailand) Company, Mr Sumet denied as groundless a speculation that the mass layoffs stemmed from the company’s plan to introduce automation to replace manpower.

He said the company promised to re-employ the subcontract workers once the situation has improved.

The deputy permanent secretary admitted that he felt relieved after having heard the clarification from Toyota about the layoffs.

As for the redundant workers, he said that the ministry was ready to find new jobs in car industry for them. He claimed that there are over 1,000 job openings in Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Rayong and Samut Prakan.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/172588-2/

-- Thai PBS 2016-07-15

What has automation to do with this anyway, ever since Henry Ford, automation has been the only way with car manufacturing. Furthermore the failure to automate would be the failure to be competitive, ie no jobs at all.

Get some sense and balance in the reporting please!!

Surely a machine could't work better then a Thai employee.

Surely a machine could't work better then a Thai employee.

Probably it would unless installed and maintained by a Thai employee !

They just gave a reason for Toyota to move its business elsewhere. Is it any wonder Thailand is non-competitive with this way of thinking?

Edited July 15, 20169 yr by gandalf12

What is interesting is the apparent lack by the government folks that automation is a fact of manufacturing, unless the Thai government decides to ban the use of machines, and good luck with that.

Ahh...Toyota and all multinationals should learn from the Thai way of farming...

That's the only way they would be allowed to set up factories here, and progress with Thailand.

I suspect these comments are just a palliative, and the fact automation is even mentioned means it's an issue. It isn't doing the workers any favours in the long term, promoting this kind of Luddite attitude. Re-training, re-skilling, is the way to go, not "don't worry chaps, just a temporary blip, hang on and you'll get your old jobs back".

Good for Toyota. Get crap support from the country and government only wanting hand outs? Time to leave. Smart on them.

Toyota is basically moving out with no return in sight. They never lied. They'll rehire everyone when the situation improves. Of course they know it won't improve.

And automation in precise manufacturing and assembly is the only way to go!

Edited July 15, 20169 yr by tomyummer

A robot can work 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year...less an OS upgrade or 2 to upgrade it's skills

A robot makes few mistakes

A robot doesn't take days off

A robot doesn't need 10 toilet breaks a day

A robot doesn't need a lunch break

A robot doesn't spend at least 3 hours on Facebook and Line a day

A robot doesn't complain

A Thai worker...not so much.

The guys took voluntary redundancy and now they want their jobs back? Are they for real? Probably received a settlement from Toyota when they accepted and now want to go back to work with them. I can see that being popular with Toyota

...never enough.....

...where would these people be without foreign investment and tourism.....

...and the foreigners end up the losers time and again......

Yes, for sure. Toyota is famous for not utilizing automation. 555

Toyota is fully capable of installing automation in some other ASEAN location.

Yes, for sure. Toyota is famous for not utilizing automation. 555

Toyota wrote the book on working efficiently

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Toyota_Way

It is difficult to find a robot or introduce automation to replace Thai workers. No matter how efficient it might be it cannot be better at sleeping, playing Candy Crush, snacking, having sanook at work than a Thai.

An article in The Nation yesterday mentioned that 83.5 per cent of the workforce in Thailand is unskilled and only 38.8 per cent of workers are suitable for the job they are doing.

Mr Sumet denied as groundless a speculation that the mass layoffs stemmed from the company’s plan to introduce automation to replace manpower.

Sumet didn't deny that Toyota was introducing automation. Just that it wasn't the cause for recent layoffs. So automation might be a future cause for more layoffs.

Toyota has to compete just like any other car manufacturer.

Automation is the way to go. Cheap Thai people might slow down the move to automation, but it is inevitable.

Quality issues demand automation - this is one of the drivers to maintaining a profitable presence in the market.

Toyota didn't introduce automation to replace manpower they did it to increase quality and

productivity. Reducing the manpower required to build the cars was simply a by-product

of the automation.

Yes, Toyota would never want to be like this: