Ford Shows Its Support for Habitat's Tsunami-Reconstruction Efforts in Southern Thailand -- Volunteers and Donated Vehicles Help Habitat

April 28, 2005

Volunteer: Ford dealers tour the Habitat for Humanity building and training center located in Khao Lak, southern Thailand

KHAO LAK, 28th April 2005: Volunteers from Ford Thailand and its dealer network were on hand for the first dedication of a Habitat home in tsunami-affected southern Thailand.

Homeowner Sunun Channakorn was the first beneficiary of Habitatís reconstruction work in Khao Lak in Phang Na province.

Employees of Ford Thailand, Ford Financial, AutoAlliance Thailand and Premier Automotive Group comprising Volvo and Land Rover, have united under the ìFord Volunteer Corpsî banner to volunteer their labor over the coming weeks and months to build new houses and make materials for surviving families.

Happy at last: Homeowner Sunun Channakorn stands outside of her Habitat house following the house dedication

Handover: John Felice (left), President, Ford Thailand, and Michael McCarney (center), President, Ford ASEAN Operations; and Rick Hathaway (right), Director of Regional Programs, Habitat for Humanity International, at the vehicle donation handover in Bangkok.

For the several weeks Ford volunteers have participated in making roof tiles for Habitat houses being constructed in the tsunami affected areas of Khao Lak.

Earlier this month, Ford made an official of two Ford vehicles – New Ranger Single Cab and an Everest SUV – to support Habitatís work in the south.

The vehicle presentation took place at Ford ís Auto Network dealership on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, after which the two vehicles were be driven down to Khao Lak. The Ford 4X4 vehicles were put immediately to work to ferry construction materials and supplies to support the building project.