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Published on September 29, 2007

MT Picture Display (Thailand), a subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial, informed authorities in a letter that it would permanently discontinue production at its facility in the Bang Kadi Industrial Estate yesterday and initiate liquidation procedures in November, the source said.

The company made cathode ray tubes for 15- to 29-inch TVs exported to North America and Asia.

Declining demand and intensified competition from fast-growing sales of flat-panel TVs made it hard to continue operating, the letter said.

The company had to lay off 2,400 employees, including 700 contract workers, but had already prepared payments and compensation as required by labour laws, it said.

Somchai Abdullah, 54, who had driven for a Japanese executive for 18 years, said the company had told the employees of the shutdown and helped some find work at other factories.

In his case, he would not look for a new job because he would use the severance money to buy a taxi to make a new living, he said.

The Nation

PATHUM THANI