BANGKOK, May 1 (UPI) -- Unrest in Thailand is taking its toll on the tire industry because it is causing a shortage of raw material to make tires.
A source from Bridgestone Natural Rubber (Thailand), a subsidiary of the Japanese tire maker, told the Bangkok Post that the company had faced some shortages of raw materials since the beginning of the year as farmers fear tapping the latex due the violence.
"The next purchase is normally done next month but we don't know yet how much rubber will be available on the market," the source from Bridgestone's Songkhla factory said.
"Consequently, we can't make production plans for the upcoming months."
More than half of the Songkhla factor's raw materials come from suppliers in the lower southern area of Thailand where the unrest has been occurring.
