ThaiNamthip in JV to sell Coca-Cola in Laos

ThaiNamthip Co, one of Coca-Cola Co’s bottlers in Thailand, will today start selling Coca-Cola beverages in Laos through a partner there.

ThaiNamthip has set up a 70:30 joint venture called Laos Coca-Cola Bottling Co with PT Construction Company.

Pornwut Sarasin, vice chairman of ThaiNamthip, told a news conference yesterday that ThaiNamthip would invest US$40 million (Bt1.2 billion) over five years in the new company.

Laos Coca-Cola Bottling will distribute Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid and Namthip bottled water supplied by ThaiNamthip’s plants in Thailand.

Laos Coca-Cola Bottling will begin construction of its plant in Vientiane next year.

The new plant will hire about 70 locals and also create at least 500 jobs when it starts operating in 2014, Pornwut said.