September 1, 2003

Isuzu Motors celebrated the start of Isuzu D-MAX exports from Thailand on August 6, when some 380 all-new Isuzu pickups left the port of Laem Chabang near Bangkok bound for Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak headed the list of guests at a ceremony held at the port. Other participants included executives from Thai suppliers and banks, MIDI Europe s.r.l. and Petros Petropoulos S.A., the Isuzu D-MAX distributors in Italy and Greece, respectively.
Isuzu has positioned Thailand, the largest market for Isuzu pickups, as the base for its global pickup business. As part of this strategy, global production of Isuzu pickups has been consolidated in Thailand.
Isuzu and General Motors jointly developed the D-MAX as an all-new Isuzu pickup. General export models produced by GM Thailand on a contract basis will be marketed in more than 130 countries.
Isuzu President Yoshinori Ida spoke at the ceremony about the high quality of Thai production, which provides a solid foundation for exporting the Isuzu D-MAX worldwide. He also noted that Isuzu's priority of ensuring the quality of D-MAX vehicles produced in Thailand has meshed well with the Thai government's efforts to expand its automobile industry.
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak thanked Isuzu for its contribution to economic growth and expressed the government's full support for Isuzu's expanded activities in the country.
That evening, a party was held at the Bangkok Convention Center to celebrate start of exports. The party also celebrated the sale of the 100,000th D-MAX in May in Thailand, slightly less than one year after the model's release in the country. The Isuzu D-MAX has become the best-selling vehicle ever in Thailand, where no other vehicle-including passenger cars-has ever reached the 100,000 mark so fast.

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