American automaker, Ford Motor Co said on Thursday that it is going to invest $40 million in Thailand. The funds will be used for setting up a new manufacturing plant in the region, which is going to become operational from 2012. The products of which are going to be exported to Ford's Asia-pacific destination.

The plant is expected to come up in Rayong and will manufacture Ford Focus. But, said the company, it would also be able to produce other vehicles as well.

Talking to the media, Joe Hinrichs, head of Ford in Asia Pacific said that the new plant is going to be flexible and it is a proof that Ford is following an aggressive strategy in the Asia Pacific region.

He also added that Thailand is of key importance in the new frame of things and will continue to work as the export base for the company.

The total size of the plant is going to be 8.07 million sq ft with an initial capacity of 150,000 units and is going to be the first plant to be wholly-owned by Ford.