GM Thailand cuts off 790 full-time jobs

Owing to the global recession, economic slowdown and fall in export orders, US automotive giant General Motors laid off 790 of its 3,000 labour force in Thailand. Following this came the closure of local assembly plant of the company for two months to avoid an inventory buildup as export orders fell off.

This came as a big blow because though several Japanese automotive companies in Thailand have been forced to lay off part-time workers in recent months but GM Thailand was one of the first carmakers to cut full-time jobs. Of the 790 laid-off workers, 700 had opted for a voluntary early retirement programme and the remaining 90 were forced to quit.

GM is one of 15 international automobile makers with assembly and manufacturing plants in Thailand to supply the domestic and export markets.

‘Cobra Gold’ comes to an end

After two weeks of joint military exercises with troops from the United States, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia, Thailand ended its annual war games this Tuesday. About 11,600 military personnel from the five nations were involved in “Cobra Gold,” the biggest war games in Southeast Asia, which began on February 4.

It was a grand affair with nearly 7,300 troops from the US which conducted air, water and ground exercises alongside about 4,000 troops from Thailand, 106 from Singapore, 75 from Japan and 113 from Indonesia.

The closing ceremony of the ceremony was held at Chiang Mai when the US Ambassador Eric John said the exercise was a “vital tool” in strengthening regional ties.

“This year (the games) demonstrate once again the importance of Cobra Gold to the bilateral US-Thai military relationship and to friends in the region,” John said adding, “The work our troops have done in this exercise can help to save lives in future operations, peacekeeping deployments and disaster responses.”