Thailand's worst flooding in 50 years is dealing a dramatic blow to Japanese automobile, precision instrument and other industries because the nation is now an important global production base for numerous manufacturers.
Some makers, whose main production plants are located in Ayutthaya Province, can't foresee when they can reopen their plants, as many facilities are submerged. Other firms with plants in other regions have been forced to halt operations because the floods have severed the supply of parts.
"The flooded area seems to be slowly widening," said Koji Sako, a senior economist in charge of Asian regions at Mizuho Research Institute.