VOA标准英语2009年-Thai Auto Sector Banks on Government Assistance

Auto¹ industry executives in Thailand are calling on the government to support the industry, in the face of sharply falling exports and local sales. Layoffs² are starting to mount, but analysts³ are upbeat about the longer term future with more investment - especially from Japan - and the impact of a Thai government economic stimulus⁴ package.
　
Toyota is a market leader in Thailand

Major global automotive makers⁵ have poured millions of dollars in investment into Thailand, the country touted⁶ as the "Detroit of Asia."

But with Detroit, itself, in deep financial trouble due, in part, to the financial recession, auto industry executives hope the Thai government will come to the rescue, at least in the short term.

The industry is facing a sharp downturn. Vehicle industry association forecasts expect production to fall by 25 percent in 2009 to slightly over one million units from 1.4 million last year.

In January, alone, production was cut by 40 percent, while domestic sales fell by 30 percent. The Federation⁷ of Thai Industries has forecast auto exports to slide by as much as 25 percent this year.

John Bonnell, director of forecasting Asia Pacific for research firm J.D. Power and Associates, says the Thai market was been caught by the global downturn for autos.

"The auto industry is suffering - it may not be suffering as much as we have in other parts of the world, Western world - it is suffering compared with other parts of South East Asia in the more developing markets of India and China," he said.

This week General Motors in Thailand joined other auto makers to say it was laying off almost 800 workers. This follows staff cuts by Toyota Thailand and Mitsubishi. At present most of the layoffs are for temporary or contract labor⁸.

The industry minister has warned over 46,000 auto industry jobs are at risk from redundancy - from an overall work force of 400,000.

The Thai auto industry is dominated by major Japanese manufacturers, led by Toyota. General Motors and Ford⁹ have also invested heavily, benefiting from Thailand's labor skill-base and access to markets within the Association of South East Asian Nations.

General Motors Thailand says it's seeking Thai government backing to access finding sources for a $426 million diesel-engine and pick-up truck project.
　
Vallo Tiasiri, president of Thailand Automotive Institute

Thailand Automotive Institute President Vallop Tiasiri says the industry hopes the government will back steps to lift domestic auto demand and consumption.

"The auto industry will try to ask the government to support in stimulating¹⁰ domestic demand because, in the case of exports, it's too big [a problem]. In the case of domestic [markets] we can look for some support in trying to stimulate¹¹ the domestic demand and keep the people, the manpower, in the industry," he said.

Thailand's economic ministers this week set out a four-year spending program of more than $54 billion to revive the faltering¹² economy. University economic forecasts are warning the economy could contract by one percent in 2009, down from an earlier best of two percent growth.

But Bonnell remains¹³ optimistic about the longer term prospects¹⁴, despite a slide in auto production this year.

He says the industry is looking for more investment in production of smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

"Bright light on the horizon is the development of small cars," he said. "The industry for small cars here in Thailand is several manufacturers who have, in line with government policy, to promote the production of small cars locally - what they call the eco-car programs. There are several manufacturers that have put in place plans to move production here for small cars."

Japan's Nissan recently confirmed plans to transfer production of its key subcompact car to lower-cost Thailand. All output for the vehicle would be shifted to Thailand and then exported to Japan. The Thai Board of Investment has also given approval for production in Thailand of six eco-car projects, including Nissan, Suzuki, Honda, Toyota, Tata and Mitsubishi.

Other analysts are also positive over the medium term. Singapore-based auto-industry consultancy, Frost and Williams, forecast a recovery in local sales by the third quarter of 2009.

BMW Thailand is hoping to avoid layoffs at its Rayong plant. Michael Kordys, BMW Group Thailand president, remains positive over the industry's future.

"Regarding the automotive industry, the slowdown in inevitable," he said. "However, I'm still very confident of the strong foundation for the Thai auto industry. With the right government actions I'm seeing a positive turn coming soon here."

Thailand Automotive Industry's Vallop says the industry is looking to the government to take steps in three areas - tax cuts, easier bank lending and retraining - to ease the industry's short term troubles. He says, after some adjustment, the industry will emerge stronger.

"We are looking from Thailand and we think our situation is better than other [countries]. So, it means we think our competitive [position] will be better to compete in the world market," he said.

Toyota Motor is also pressing the government to support development of hybrid¹⁵ car production by providing tax relief.

The auto sector¹⁶'s proposals are to be presented to a full meeting of economic ministers led by the prime minister, next week.

Given the concerns over further auto sector job layoffs, industry leaders hope calls for support will be greeted favorably by the government.

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

5 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

7 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

8 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

9 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

10 stimulating   

adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的

参考例句：

• shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
• This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。

11 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

12 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

13 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

14 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

15 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

16 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。