Thailand's August car production rises 10.9% on year

BANGKOK, Sept 28 : Car production in Thailand rose 10.93 per cent in August from a year earlier to 124,646 units, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Monday.

• The reading follows a rise of 6.12 per cent in July.

• August domestic car sales were up 25.59 per cent from a year earlier, following a rise of 20.07 per cent in July, the federation said.

• Exports fell 2.04 per cent year-on-year in August, compared to an increase of 2.39 per cent in the previous month, the FTI said.

• In July, the FTI forecast a 3.33 per cent drop in car production for the whole of 2026, driven by a decline in exports due to hostilities in the Middle East. It had predicted a rise of 3 per cent earlier.

• The government last month said it planned to cut excise tax rates for automakers that establish production facilities in Thailand to encourage greater use of locally sourced parts and raw materials.

• Thailand is Southeast Asia's biggest auto production centre and an export base for some of the world's leading carmakers, including Toyota and Honda.