Published on 18/05/2012
Auto figures rise in April Automobile production rose by 59.6% year-on-year last month to 142,312 units in line with increases in both domestic sales and exports. However, the figure is down by 25.5% month-on-month due to fewer working days in April, Suraphong Paisitpattanaphong, spokesman for the Federation of Thai Industries' automobile industry club, said yesterday. Domestic automobile sales rose by 30.5% year-on-year last month to 87,778 units, with more output slated for the domestic market to clear up an order backlog from before the floods. Exports of Thai-built vehicles also increased by 6.21% year-on-year to 55,433 units worth 26.5 billion baht, up by 14.3%. But month-on-month, April exports declined by 38.3%. Mr Suraphong said passenger car production increased by 49.5% yearon-year to 52,425 units, while pickup truck output rose by 63.8% to 86,608 units. For the first four months of this year, overall automobile production increased by only 15% year-on-year to 641,872 units. Motorcycle output dropped by 8.1% year-on-year last month to 220,647 units.