With the improvement in the region's economy, the increasing demand for glass bottles and other containers in the region has relieved some of the pressure that was being applied to Thailand in the form of low cost imports from neighbouring countries - particularly Indonesia. Not only has this seen Thai container glass companies reclaim their domestic market, but it has also allowed them to reopen their export opportunities. These changed circumstances have greatly improved the cost of production of the country's container glass. Capacity utilisation is steadily rising, thereby helping production costs come down to a healthy level of some $245/tonne, lower than that of Malaysia and almost as competitive as the region's lower cost manufacturer, Indonesia.
