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155547
Fri, 12/31/2010 - 14:45
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Bright prospect foreseen for Thai automotive industry in 2011

BANGKOK, Dec 31 (TNA) - The Thai automotive industry has foreseen a bright prospect in the Year of the Rabbit.

Mrs Piangjai Kaewsuwan, president of the Thai Automotive Industry Association, said 2010 or the Year of the Tiger was the best year for the Thai automotive industry as it marked the highest productivity of automobiles in Thailand since the manufacturing started in 1961 to substitute automotive imports. Now buyers must wait 3-4 months on average for the delivery of the vehicles they order, especially for modern vehicles that are affordable and meet energy-saving needs.

She said that Nissan was the first car maker to meet the needs by launching its Nissan March cars.

Surapong Paisitpatanapong, spokesman of the Automotive Industry Club under the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said that Thailand produced as many as 1.5 million automobiles in the first 11 months of this year. The figure rose from 1.3 million last year.

“If the production of 127,000 automobiles this month is included, the number of automobiles produced in the country throughout this year should exceed 1.6 million,” Surapong said.

The spokesman said he expects the figure to reach 1.8 million next year thanks to growing exports and strong local demands.

Wallop Tiasiri, director of the Thailand Automotive Institute, said that in the first 11 months of 2010 Thailand produced 1.5 million automobiles while its production capacity was at 2 million. The actual production rose from 2009 by as much as 70%. Over 700,000 vehicles were sold in the country. The sales went up by 48% from 2009. About 820,000 automobiles were exported. The figure rose by 71% from last year.

Wanlop said he believes that the actual production of automobiles in Thailand will reach 1.8 million while the production capacity of the industry is estimated at 2.6 million vehicles. (TNA)

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