Hana Microelectronics Plc is considering a capital expenditure of US$30-35m to expand its production facilities and may hire up to 1,000 more workers this year, according to vicepresident Issara Sivakul. Most of the investments will be made at the Lamphun plant that produces printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA).The facility in northern Thailand is now running at 90% of capacity. The expansion would start in the latter half of this year and take six to 12 months to complete, Mr Issara said.

SET-listed Delta Electronics (Thailand)Plc expects its revenue to miss the target of US$1 billion this year despite improving sales in the third quarter and the high growth of its Indian business. Although the global electronics industry has generally recovered, the telecom segment and the European market have yet to pick up, said executive director Anusorn Muttaraid.

Thailand’s IT industry slipped to 49th in the 2009 IT Industry Competitiveness Index from 42nd last year, due to declines in both its foreign-investment policy ranking and PC ownership ranking, which are heavily weighted indicators.

Thailand is in line for more investment in the electrical and electronics industry early next year, when Southeast Asian economies are due to become a single production base. (Bangkok Post)

Sales of electrical appliances are expected to decline this year, another victim of the economic according to a report by Gfk Retail and Technology. (The Nation)