CHINA'S TCL TO UPGRADE TV TECHNOLOGY AT THAT FACTORY

       Leading Chinese electrical-appliance manufacturer TCL plans to upgrade its television-set production line in Thailand in a bid to use Bangkok as an export base to Asean.
       Chief operating officer BoLianming said TCL would modernise the television technology in its Thai plant, in order to facilitate market access and boost sales within Asean. TCL now has a 20-per-cent market share in Southeast Asia.
       TCL wants to use Thailand as a base for television assembly and export, especially to Asean markets.
       "Despite the global economic crisis, Asean economies have turned in an outstanding performance. TCL will use the Thai plant to distribute products throughout Asean,"he said.
       TCL began manufacturing in thailand in 2004 with the acquisition of television manufacturer Thompson. A subsidiary, TCL Electronic (Thailand),was set up to oversee local manufacturing and distribution.
       Bo said the company's factory in China would remain its main manufacturing base.
       TCL Optoelectronics Technology in Huizhou, located in the southern province of Guangdong.produces liquid-crystal-display(LCD)sets.
       TCL plans to produce its own television panels soon. It now buys them from Sanyo and Sharp. Bo said gearing up for panel manufacturing would cost some US$3 billion (Bt102 billion).
       "We're considering building a TV-panel plant in China, while the one in Thailand is more suitable for asembly and distribution to Asean markets," he said.
       TCL also plans to produce 60-inch screens by year-end, expanding from its present largest size of 52 inches.
       Meanwhille, Industry Minister Charnchai Chairungrueng said his ministry and the Board of Investment (BoI)had visited China to persuade TCL to upgrade its Thai production line in the near future, to produce a full range of LCD sets.
       He said the Boi was prepared to exempt TCL from corporated income tax for eight years.
       "TCL has expressed interest in this offer. We told them we wanted TCL to use Thailand as its main export base," Charnchai said.
       The BoI will also open an office in Guangzhou province to attract Chinese firms to Thailand, he added.