RAYONG, July 4 — China’s BYD opened its first electric vehicle plant in Thailand on Thursday, the auto maker’s first in South-east Asia.

”BYD is using Thailand as a production hub for export to Asean and many other countries,” Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of Thailand’s Board of Investment said at the opening ceremony, referring to the 10-nation South-east Asian bloc.

The facility, announced two years ago, is worth US$490 million (RM2.27 billion) and will have a production capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year.

The factory is located in an industrial estate in Thailand’s eastern Rayong province. — Reuters