Thai auto workers lose jobs as economy worsens

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RAYONG, (Thailand), Feb 26 (AFP): Father-of-four Rasamee Thongdee is picking his son up from the babysitter six hours early because he has just lost his job at a Thai factory making car air-conditioning systems.

The 31-year-old is one of about 5,000 workers recently laid off by factories in the town of Rayong as the global economic crunch starts to bite Southeast Asia's regional car-making hub, known as the "Detroit of the East".

Rasamee, who earned 10,000 baht (286 dollars) a month during his three years with the firm, must now rely on his wife's 5,000- baht salary from a fertilizer plant to provide for their children aged between two and nine years old.

The family must also find the money to cover a 30,000-baht debt with interest, along with 25 more monthly payments of 2,500 baht to pay off Rasamee's 90,000-baht motorbike.