AsThailandconsolidatesitsreputationasthe“DetroitoftheEast”withnewinvestmentsbyleadinginternationalvehicleandautomotivepartsmanufac-turers,AmericanfirmsareplayingalargerroleinthismarketthathashistoricallybeendominatedbyJapanesesuppliers.Thailand’seconomicrecoveryfromthe1997financialcrisisisevi-dencedbyasolid4.2percenteconomicgrowthratein1999and4.5percentprojectedfor2000.Theautomotiveindustryh...