BANGKOK, Nov 30 – Next month’s Thailand Motor Expo is expected to result in more than Bt26 billion (US$83million) in circulation, Motor Expo President Kwanchai Prapatpong said Wednesday.
The 28th Thailand International Motor Expo 2011 will be held Dec 1-12 with the theme “Automobile Blossoms in Full Bloom” at IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok. Forty international auto and motorcycle companies will participate in the event.
Due to the impact of Thailand’s flooding, the organiser revised its targeted figures with the number of visitors expected at around 1.2 million, down from almost 1.6 million last year.
The total number of reserved cars (and motorcycles) is expected at 25,000, a figure excluding Toyota, which will not receive reservations in this year’s event.
It is believed that the company has already obtained many reserved orders, so it does not want more orders as customers may have to wait longer to get the vehicles due to an impact from flooding.
The auto market in 2011 is projected to grow only 12-15 per cent. In the first half of this year, it grew 20-30 per cent exceeding the target.
Despite impacts from the flood crisis on the auto market in the second half of this year, the higher-than-expected growth in the first half of this year is likely to support the whole year’s growth to reach the sales target at 800,000 units.
In 2012, the sales target is likely to stay around 800,000- 900,000 units thanks to the demand for new cars, including from the prospective customers whose cars were damaged by flooding.
Pick-up trucks are likely to be in higher demand in the short term with sales likely to reach 65 per cent.
In 2012, with Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Toyota planning to launch eco cars, demand for passengercars is likely to increase, Mr Kwanchai said.
