TOKYO, Nov. 15 (Kyodo) — Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday it has reopened a semiconductor assembly factory in Thailand that had suffered damage in major floods last year, in the wake of solid demand for chips from makers of smartphones and other devices.

The plant in Pathum Thani Province north of Bangkok, owned by Toshiba Semiconductor Thailand Co., will be operated until a new plant in Prachinburi Province east of Bangkok opens for operation in spring.

Toshiba has set up production equipment in a corner of the existing factory, putting in about 500 workers. The company has invested about 4 billion yen (about $50 million) for the operation.