Thai vehicle production tipped for 2.9% rise in 2017

Thailand’s car production is forecast to continue accelerating this year – by 2.9% to 2 million units. The targeted production of 60% or 1.2 million units will be sold overseas.
In December, car production slid 11.1% on year and 20.5% on month to 135,792 units, the lowest in 19 months. The total number of cars made for exports fell 6.1% on year to 75,740 units or 55.8% of total production in December. Local sales dropped 16.6% to 60,052 units or 44.2% of December’s production.
However total cars produced edged up 1.6% to 1.94 million units for the whole 2016. Passenger cars produced last year climbed 5.6% to 811,805 units or 41.8% of total car production. One-ton pickup trucks manufactured throughout 2016 slipped 1.2% to 1.1 million units or 56.7% of total car production.
In December, car exports inched down 0.6% on year to 86,120 units due mainly to economic slowdowns in Thailand’s trading partners extending to the Middle East, Africa, Central America and South America. Total car exports dipped 0.1% on year to THB 46.37 billion.

Motorcycles are projected to increase 15.4% to 2.1 million units this year, of which 300,000 units will be for exports and 1.8 million for the local market. The local distribution of motorbikes is estimated to jump 18.3% in 2017.
(From an article of The Nation on January 19, 2017)