FTI: Thailand domestic auto sales seen picking up next year

Thailand’s domestic automobile sales are anticipated at 780,000 vehicles next year, up 4 percent from 750,000 units forecasted for this year, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) stated on Wednesday.

Sales in the last quarter will likewise be assisted by Motor Expo next month, Surapong Paisitpattanapong, representative of the FTI’s Auto Industry, informed a press conference.

In January-October, car sales fell 0.7 percent from a year previously to 617,659 automobiles. Sales fell 9.3 percent in last year.

Yearly domestic automobile sales have been weak from May 2013, following the fading result of a government first-car aid plan, which ended in 2012, when sales leapt 81 percent.

Thailand is a local car production and export base for the world’s leading automakers.