Thailand car production rises in May, local sales inch up

BANGKOK : Car production in Thailand rose 16.48per cent in May from a year earlier to 150,532 units, as a shortage of microchips eased, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Thursday.

Domestic car sales increased 0.55per cent in May year-on-year to 65,088 cars, after April’s 6.14per cent drop, said Surapong Paisitpattanapong, a spokesperson for FTI’s automotive industry division.

Trucks sales, however, contracted due to tighter auto loans, he added.

In April, car production dipped 0.13per cent year-on-year.

Thailand is a regional vehicle production and export base for some of the world’s top car makers, including Toyota and Honda.

(Reporting by Orathai Sriring and Satawasin Staporncharnchai; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)