Plan for cigarette plant in Rojana being reconsidered

“I have assigned TTM to think about the construction plan or relocate to another industrial park,” Deputy Finance Minister Boonsong Teriya-phirom said yesterday.
Rojana, in Ayutthaya province north of Bangkok, has been submerged for about two months and is now working hard to pump the water out.
Torsak Chotimongkol, managing director of TTM, a state enterprise under the Finance Ministry, said construction on the plant had just commenced with piling work.
A change to the facility’s design may be practical, as relocating to another industrial park would be complicated. The 300-rai (48-hectare) site could be filled in to a higher level and flood-prevention measures put in place.
However, the reaction of insurance firms would also be a key decision-making factor, he said, referring to international insurers currently refusing flood coverage until they see a concrete flood-prevention plan from the government.
Sales of cigarettes last month dropped by 30 per cent because of the disruption in logistics, while transport costs rose by 30 per cent as many roads were swamped, Torsak said.
The state enterprise’s revenue target for this year is Bt62 billion, showing no growth from last year, he added.
Boonsong, who chaired the launch of TTM’s flood-relief operation, said the Bt10-million budget could be increased if necessary.