Thai auto exports up in January, domestic sales down

mmc thai factory

Thailand’s automotive exports rose 14.09% year-on-year to 92,440 units in January, Bernama reports, citing increased exports to European, Australian as well as North, Central and South American markets.

According to the Federation of Thai Industries’ automotive industry club deputy chairman Surapong Paisitpatanapong, exports jumped 10% year-on-year to 41.151 billion baht (RM4.593 billion) in value terms, while total exports including of engines and components increased 5.84% to 59.281 billion baht (RM6.617 billion).

Domestic sales volume in January, however, decreased 12.9% to 59,669 units. Contributing factors, he said, include low agricultural product prices, strict loan conditions from financial institutions as well as private investment and economy which have yet to recover.

As for production, the Land of Smiles targets 1.2 million cars and trucks for export and 950,000 for the domestic market. Total production in January jumped 2.22% year-on-year to 166,260 units. Production for export rose 13.81% to 106,278 units, but that for Thai consumption fell 13.4% to 59,892 units.

The gap in car output between Thailand and Indonesia narrowed to its smallest ever last year in percentage terms, and Indonesia’s production may push past Thailand’s within a decade, Reuters recently reported. See how Malaysia did last year here.

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Jonathan James Tan

While most dream of the future, Jonathan Tan dreams of the past, although he's never been there. Fantasises much too often about cruising down Treacher Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) in a Triumph Stag that actually works, and hopes this stint here will snap him back to present reality.

 

Comments

  • Malaysia Losing to Thailand on Mar 02, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    Malaysians have already suffered so much. For 30 years, 30 million people suffer so much. We struggle paying for our high car prices all because of one man’s dream of benefiting his friends and relatives through the AP system and the government protecting Proton.

    Malaysia was on its way to becoming the Detroit of Asia in the 90s. But the AP system cost us hundreds of billions in ringgit in investments from car companies who moved to Thailand and Indonesia. Car companies got fed up with Malaysia’s MITI for protecting Proton and telling other companies what to price their cars. They got sick and tired of the AP system and how genuine brands cannot get enough APs to import their cars in (like Mercedes, BMW and Honda).

    They thought that if they set up their brands and plants in Malaysia, they knew they had to share the pool of APs with the cronies and they knew 90% of all APs go to the cronies. They all moved their operations to Thailand making it the AutoCity of the world.

    Recently GM announced that they rolled out already 1 million cars from Thailand. Imagine if GM was in Malaysia and we taxed GM a mere RM10,000 per car. Calculate that with 1 million cars. Just from GM alone, we lost Billions in USD. Imagine what will the amount be from other car companies if they had set up in Malaysia?

    Because of Mahathir and his AP system, as well as Proton, we lost hundreds of billion of ringgit in investment and trillions of ringgit from jobs lost. If Malaysia was the autocity of Asia, hundreds of thousands of jobs would have been created for Malaysians. We lost all that. Trillions of Ringgit and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Now, Thailand is benefiting from this trillions lost.

    So, in summary, the 30 PEKEMA AP members and Proton have solely caused Malaysia to lose trillions in investments.

    A word of caution to the idiots at MAI and the idiots in MITI, Malaysia might even lose existing companies who are already CKDing in Malaysia. BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Honda and Toyota might even close up their plants in Malaysia to open up in Thailand.

    This is so worrisome. Despite Thailand having an unstable economy with riots and bombing, no stable government, yet car companies still prefer Thailand to Malaysia. Makes us wonder…..what is wrong with Malaysia?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 42 Thumb down 13
    • Close Down MAI on Mar 02, 2015 at 3:20 pm

      MAI like to do seminars, charts and love to spend hundreds of thousands of ringgit on lawatan sambil belajar all over the world to learn about cars.

      But nothing MAI does, comes about. MAI is King of Tok Kok. Typical Government department, like to have meeting after meeting, minum teh and makan kuih lapis, but nothing is decided.

      MAI infact misled companies like Honda who spent hundreds of millions to set up CKD plants to CKD the Hybrid Civic and Jazz. MAI told car manufacturers that Government is only moving to EEV and Hybrid cars.

      Then, Government suddenly pull the plug on Hybrid.

      Honda Malaysia suffered hundreds of Millions listening to Bogus MAI and their advice.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 23 Thumb down 2
  • kenot on Mar 02, 2015 at 4:14 pm

    while Thailand continues get FDI in automotive industries, Malaysia still struggle to plan their automotive policy. Only use the sales chart to show our automotive industry is good and more people can buy a car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
  • they kicked our sorry @$$ in football, they continue kicking our sorry @$$ in auto industry.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
  • takNakP1 on Mar 02, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    Thai are smarter purchaser than Malaysian?
    Higher export because higher sales in Malaysia?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • angah on Mar 03, 2015 at 9:03 am

    We can complain,
    we can analyse,
    and we can whine,

    about the stagnant situation on our auto industry.

    But the more important thing is to answer this question — what should we do as customer?

    For myself and my family, we will maintain our current ride and refuse to buy any new cars (national, CKD or CBU) for maybe 2 years, or longer. We will do this until we see a more affordable car without any reduction of features and what not — ideally 3-4 years loan only. If we need a car, we will buy a second hand cars.

    If we do this together and hold our purchase, TIV will drop. Revenue from eksais tax will drop and auto stock will not moving. Then we can show customer is the boss and we can see real change in the industry.

    If we are not buying, MITI, MAI, MAA, car companies, banks and finance industries statements and reports will not be relevant. And they can talk until cow come home…

    When the buying stop, the killing can too.
    If we work together, we can win this

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
    • car-fans on Mar 03, 2015 at 11:06 am

      Agree -Try to on hold buying new car – let them ‘feel’ the ‘heat’ of sales dropping … dropping …

      So that we all can get reasonable car price!

      Let’s DO IT :)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo (ori1) on Mar 03, 2015 at 4:46 pm

    Thai made Toyota Corolla, Yaris (Sedan and Hatch), Hilux, Prado, Klugger and FJ Cruisers are selling like hot cakes in Oz.

    After 2016, Toyota plant in Altona, Melbourne will close down and the legendary Camry will also be sourced from Thailand.

    Malaysian assembled cars cannot be exported due to its very low quality and specs (except to 3rd world countries)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

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