Thailand will build a pharmaceutical plant that will produce drugs to fight Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, avian influenza, and manufacture other emergency medicines.

India will help Thailand build the plant in 18 months and at a cost of more than $27 million.

Thailand's Public Health Minister Dr. Mongkol Na Songkhla disclosed the plan during the signing of a business and trade agreement between the Government Pharmaceutical Organization of Thailand and the Hetero Drugs Co. of India.

The GPO produces cheap medicines for emergency crisis in Thailand. Hetero Drugs is a licensed manufacturer of a generic anti-bird flu drug.

Under the same agreement, the Indian firm will help Thailand plan the anti-AIDS drug factory and design the facility according to World Health Organization standards. The WHO standard will allow Thailand to sell the anti-AIDS medicine to member countries of the organization.

The Thai plant is projected to make two billion tablets a year.