Thailand’s domestic automobile sales in November rose by 38.3 per cent year-on-year to 78,874 units, up 9.53 per cent from October, marking their highest level in 47 months, according to the auto industry.

Surapong Paisitpattanapong, spokesman for the Federation of Thai Industries FTI Automotive Industry Club said on Friday that the high growth in domestic car sales was due to Thai economic recovery, higher purchasing power, along with the high price of agricultural produce, growing exports, and the tourism industry.

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Another factor was that the compact car segment in the country continues to boom among Thai consumers.From January to November this year, 707,235 units were sold, representing a 48.3 per cent rise in the sales volume compared to the same period last year, the spokesman said.Auto production in November totalled 157,094 units, marking the highest figure since 1961, said Mr Surapong. November car manufacturing was up 29.85 per cent year-on-year and increased by 2.88 per cent compared to October.

via Thai domestic auto sales hit 47-month high in November: FTI.

The Thai auto industry has grown from its infancy with just one automotive assembly plant in 1961 to a mature world- class production center currently ranking 13th globally. Nearly all of the world’s major automakers, assemblers, and parts and components manufacturers have established production operations in the country.

In fact, Thailand produced more than 1.4 million vehicles in 2008, and the lions share came from the local facilities of Ford, General Motors, BMW, Daimler Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Toyota, Isuzu, Honda and Nissan.

The country is well on the way to achieving performance goals set by the Thai government in a master plan formulated in the past decade for the automotive industry’s development. This includes substantial progress toward becoming Asia’s automotive production base, gaining global competitiveness, reaching output targets for passenger cars, pickup trucks and motorcycles, and achieving international recognition as a center for replacement equipment manufacturing or REM parts.

Thailand’s domestic automobile sales in October rose by 35.2 per cent year-on-year to 72,012 units, up 5.49 per cent from September, marking the highest level in the past 10 months, according to the auto industry.

Surapong Paisitpattanapong, spokesman for the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) Automotive Industry Club, said on Wednesday that the continual growth in domestic car sale was thanks to the Thai economic recovery due to the government’s stimulus package ‘Thai Khem Kaeng’ (Strong Thailand) scheme, as well as the rising price of agricultural produce, growing exports, and the tourism industry.