BANGKOK, Aug 18 – Thailand’s auto sales in July totaled 72,902 units, an increase of 3.76 per cent from the previous month and an 11 per cent increase year-on-year, according to Surapong Paisitpattanapong, auto industry spokesman for the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).
Auto sales took an upturn in July due to the robust domestic economy and automakers were able to resume production at full capacity, so more cars could be delivered to customers.
Moreover, compact cars attracted a new group of customers. In the first seven months of this year, total auto sales reached 504,914 units, a 19.5 per cent increase year-on-year.
The auto production in July totaled 147,236 units, an increase of 1.01 per cent, compared to the same period last year and a 4.17 per cent drop from the previous month. Auto production in the first seven months of this year accounted for 957,843 units, an increase of 4.71 per cent from the same period last year. Most auto production — 51.41 per cent, or some 492,000 units — was for export, but dropped by 3.59 per cent, compared to the same period last year.
Motorcycle sales in July hit 178,050 units, an increase of 13.75 per cent year-on-year, but dropped by 19.763 per cent from the previous month. Motorcycle sales in the first seven months of this year was 1.2 million units, a 15.5 per cent rise year-on-year while motorcycle production in July totaled 291, 894 units, an increase of 20.1 per cent from the same period last year. The motorcycle production from January – July 2011 totaled 1.9 million units, an increase of 26.73 per cent year-on-year.
The FTI projected that automobile production in the next three months will be about 510,000 units, a 17 per cent increase year-on- year, while motorcycle production is expected at 499,240 units, a 5.12 per cent drop from the same period last year, said the spokesman.
