Ford Motor Company today announced a partnership with the Thailand National Science and Technology Development Administration (NSTDA) to develop systems approaches and technical capabilities for the domestic production and use of bio-ethanol fuels.
Gerry Kania, president, Ford ASEAN Operations, and Dr. Pairach Tachayapong, director, NSTDA, signed a Memorandum of understanding outlining the primary objectives of the partnership. Both parties are meeting in Bangkok for a two-day workshop to investigate the production of bio-ethanol fuel from agricultural products and by-products that are energy efficient, environmentally friendly and economically viable.
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This initiative is important: Thailand’s petroleum resources are at a premium, and its dependence on imports is growing.
“Thailand is an ideal proving ground for the domestic production of bio-ethanol fuelin Asia-Pacific, a region in need of environmental improvements,” said Kania. “Ford Motor Company’s automotive expertise and Thailand’s agricultural resources – such as tapioca, sugar cane and rice – are a powerful combination. We’re excited about the potential rewards our partnership will reap.”
Ford Motor Company and NSTDA agreed to work cooperatively on achieving the following objectives:
The foundation for this workshop was established in 1998 when representatives from Ford Motor Company and General Motors, along with academic, industry and government experts from the U.S. and Thailand, met to examine Thailand’s automotive industry and transportation system. The meetings generated 62 recommendations, including domestic production of bio-ethanol fuel. The Thailand government has since launched a major environmental program, the particulars of which are the focus of the current two-day workshop.
Additional participants in the workshop include: Thailand Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai; Richard E. Hecklinger, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand; North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt, Jr.; Chulalongkorn (Thailand) University; Thailand Department of Agriculture, University of California-Riverside; Energy Resource Institute; U.S. Asia Environmental Partnership; and the U.S. governments of California and Wisconsin.
The delivery of Model A vehicles in 1903 marked the beginning of Ford Motor Company’s long-standing presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Ford has since forged numerous cooperative automotive and environmental initiatives throughout the region in keeping with its commitment of becoming a world leader in mobility, safety and environmentalism.
