Honda, along with other Japanese carmakers, recovered within weeks from a devastating earthquake , tsunami and nuclear meltdown. Nevertheless, Monday morning production strategists pestered the Japanese why they had not relocated to safer grounds. It took Honda half a year to recover from a killer flood that had inundated those safer grounds.

Today, Honda reopened its automobile plant in Thailand. It was closed for six months due to severe flooding. According to The Nikkei [sub], Honda had to replace a lot of damaged equipment. After a cautious start, the plant is expected  to be at its full 1,000 units per day by mid-April.

The plant north of Bangkok is Honda’s largest production hub in Southeast Asia. The plant also a strategic export base for vehicles and parts.

Other Japanese automakers in Thailand recovered quickly after parts supply was restored. The Honda plant was directly hit and flooded for many months.

A few days before the reopening, Thailand’s Minister of Industry had to deny rumors that Honda would leave Thailand. These rumors were triggered by Honda’s investment into Indonesia.