Domestic auto sales would improve in Thailand

BANGKOK, April 6 (TNA) -- After a three-year sluggish in automobile sales, started from 2014, there are positive signs that sales in Thailand would pick up this year due to domestic economic recovery, said Charnchai Trakarn-Udomsuk, president of Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co, Ltd. Auto sales in the kingdom during the first quarter this year had shown signs of recovery and concerned parties must prepare for the current economic adjustment in the country, said Mr Charnchai. He said auto sales during those three years slowed down because of soaring household debt resulted from the incentive plan, offered by the toppled government of Yingluck Shinawatra that gave a tax refund of up to 100,000 baht to first time car buyer. Auto sales fell to about 800,000-900,000 units per year compared to approximately 1.3 -1.4 million units per year when the incentive plan was offered, he said. Auto production slipped to about two million units per year compared to 2.4 million units previously, said Mr Charnchai. This year, sales are expected at 800,000 units, up between 6-8 per cent from last year, he said. (TNA)