Published on 16/04/2013
German cars revving up German vehicle sales in Thailand are expected to grow by 15-20% this year, driven by the growing economy. Thanayut Tejasen, managing director of Thai Yarnyon, the authorised importer and distributor of Volkswagen, said there is yet no serious risk factor that may affect the economy, which is projected to see 5% growth this year. Private consumption is also rising after the daily minimum wage hike and salary increases for state civil servants with bachelor's degrees. About 15,000 German vehicles were sold in Thailand last year, an increase of around 10%. Most were Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen models. Volkswagen sold 812 vehicles last year, up 12% from 2011. Mr Thanayut said overall Volkswagen sales are unlikely to drop although several automakers expect to see slow sales after enjoying a surge last year fuelled by the government's first-time car buyer programme. Thai Yarnyon aims to sell 1,000 Volkswagen vehicles this year, 292 of which were booked at the Bangkok International Motor Show that ended on Sunday. "With the performance and efficiency of Volkswagen, I am confident in brisk prospects," said Mr Thanayut. Thai Yarnyon has five Volkswagen models _ two passenger cars, two vans and one pickup truck _ in the Thai market. The company, wholly owned by Vithit Leenutaphong, is the only authorised Volkswagen dealer in Thailand. The company was given the franchise after the restructuring six years ago of the family-owned Yontrakit Group, a distributor of European and Asian cars.