BANGKOK, Nov 29 – The 29th Thailand International Motor Expo 2012 was officially launched today by a former deputy premier and the minister of industry.
Former deputy prime minister Suwat Liptapanlop and Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisuk presided over the opening ceremony.
Mr Suwat said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will host a celebration tomorrow marking Thailand’s highest auto manufacturing record at two million units. The figure is the highest for the country in the past fifty years, ranking the world’s top-ten of those producing cars, while auto export counts for more than 10 per cent, and car manufacturing created over 200,000 job positions.
Once the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) takes effect in 2015, Thailand’s auto industry will expand considerably, he said. One million cars will be produce for the domestic market, and the rest will be for neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, Motor Expo organiser Kwanchai Prapaspong said around 1.6 million people are expected to visit the fair, an increase from 1.3 million visiting last year.
He believed the event will attract more visitors this year as a result of the government’s ‘first car’ scheme which will end in December.
Ordering new automobiles by reservation is expected to reach 50,000 units, higher than last year which marked 30,000 total reservations, while Bt55 million is forecast to be in circulation.
Thailand International Motor Expo 2012 is held through December 10 at Bangkok’s Muang Thong Thani’s Impact Challenger Hall, with 38 car producers and nine motorcycle producers participating.
