Thailand car production rises in June, local sales drop

BANGKOK : Car production in Thailand increased 1.78 per cent in June from a year earlier to 145,557 units, mainly for exports as local sales contracted, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Tuesday.

Car exports, a key Thai shipment, jumped 20.22 per cent year-on-year to 88,826 units in June after a 12.25 per cent rise in May, as shortage of microchips eased, said said Surapong Paisitpattanapong, a spokesperson for the FTI’s automotive industry division.

However, domestic car sales in June dropped 5.16 per cent from a year earlier to 64,440 units, after a 0.55 per cent rise in May, he told a virtual briefing.

Thailand’s June production growth lagged behind a 16.48 per cent jump in May. The country is a regional vehicle production and export base for some of the world’s top carmakers, including Toyota and Honda.

Truck sales slumped about 33.8 per cent year-on-year in June as banks…