Thailand To Become Detroit Of Asia: Thaksin

[george]

PM SAID THAILAND HAS MET CRITERIONS TO BECOME 'DETROIT OF ASIA'

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra stated that his government has achieved its target and criterion in becoming the "Detroit of Asia." PM Thaksin said Thailand had the capacity to manufacture 1,170,000 cars in year 2005.

During the “Prime Minister Meets the Press” session, PM Thaksin said Thialand can easily produce more than 1,000,000 cars per year. Thailand has been ranked fourth in the highest car production. Moreover, the premier said that he will boost vehicle production to reach 1,800,000 cars per year, forecasting that Thailand will gain 400,000 million baht per year from car exports.

--thaisnews.com 2005-12-17

[ilyushin]

"Detroit of the East " http://www.hemaraj.com/download/Detroit_of_the_East.pdf

[PeaceBlondie]

So, is that news clipping admitting that while Mr. Thaksin wants to be in first place, they are in FOURTH place?

Do Thais design cars? Do Thais even calibrate the instruments? I understand from a Ph.D. engineering student at Chulalongkorn that doctoral students can't even calibrate instruments.

I think the Thai car and bike market is going through a boom currently because of cheap credit. What's happening with credit default rates? How many vehicles are repossessed? Do Thais know how to maintain their cars? Surely they don't know how to drive them safely.

Govt. propaganda. Daily news release. Means absolutely nothing. And so does my post.

[socalbro]

So they are in fourth place in car production where? Asia? Possibly after Japan, China and India. In the world, don't hold your breath.

Why would he want to be like Detroit anyhow? Has he ever been there or know of it's "rust belt" reputation?

I'm just praying they can build something to replace those green monster mini-busses that whip through traffic like they think they are sports cars, not transportation for those unfortunate enough to need them, all the while spewing out huge black clouds of death gasses to anyone closeby.

Can't they do something about that first. It's such an ugly thing to allow and such a big sore thumb on the city. So simple to correct, yet allowed to poision the air we breath like coal burning beasts from the 1800's.

Fix that and I'll be impressed Mr. PM

[thailien8]

Speaking of motor vehicles "spewing out huge black clouds of death gasses to anyone closeby" Thailand is Number One in production of such vehicles -- our beloved tuk-tuks.

[h90]

So they are in fourth place in car production where?  Asia?  Possibly after Japan, China and India.  In the world, don't hold your breath. 

Why would he want to be like Detroit anyhow?  Has he ever been there or know of it's "rust belt" reputation?

I'm just praying they can build something to replace those green monster mini-busses that whip through traffic like they think they are sports cars, not transportation for those unfortunate enough to need them, all the while spewing out huge black clouds of death gasses to anyone closeby. 

Can't they do something about that first.  It's such an ugly thing to allow and such a big sore thumb on the city.  So simple to correct, yet allowed to poision the air we breath like coal burning beasts from the 1800's.

Fix that and I'll be impressed Mr. PM

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe they can add a turbo to the engine

[sierra01]

Speaking of motor vehicles "spewing out huge black clouds of death gasses to anyone closeby" Thailand is Number One in production of such vehicles -- our beloved tuk-tuks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought that the more modern tuk tuk's are gas (LPG etc) powered? I haven't seen many, even older, tuk tuk's spewing out clouds of black smoke either.

[greenwanderer108]

Speaking of motor vehicles "spewing out huge black clouds of death gasses to anyone closeby" Thailand is Number One in production of such vehicles -- our beloved tuk-tuks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought that the more modern tuk tuk's are gas (LPG etc) powered? I haven't seen many, even older, tuk tuk's spewing out clouds of black smoke either.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, they do pollute a lot, mainly noise pollution. Solution:

http://www.smile-e-car.com/product/tt04.html

Electric Tuk tuk, though they need to modify it more with a better engine. Maximum speed is only 25 km/hour, though in Bkk traffic, won't even get to go that fast. It's got 48 DC motor, so I'm guessing it's 750-1000 watts (1 - 1 1/4 horse power) If they double the motor size (2 hp) that will be more than sufficient for Bkk transport. No noise, no option to go crazy fast

[stevehaigh]

Judging but the murders i keep reading about on the forum, it looks like Thailand is already the Detroit of Asia!

[sierra01]

Speaking of motor vehicles "spewing out huge black clouds of death gasses to anyone closeby" Thailand is Number One in production of such vehicles -- our beloved tuk-tuks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought that the more modern tuk tuk's are gas (LPG etc) powered? I haven't seen many, even older, tuk tuk's spewing out clouds of black smoke either.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, they do pollute a lot, mainly noise pollution. Solution:

http://www.smile-e-car.com/product/tt04.html

Electric Tuk tuk, though they need to modify it more with a better engine. Maximum speed is only 25 km/hour, though in Bkk traffic, won't even get to go that fast. It's got 48 DC motor, so I'm guessing it's 750-1000 watts (1 - 1 1/4 horse power) If they double the motor size (2 hp) that will be more than sufficient for Bkk transport. No noise, no option to go crazy fast

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A range of 80km and an 8 hour charge time, not much use to someone trying to earn a living in BKK! Is a bog standard LPG tuk tuk as noisy as you what you hear in the streets? I know the Thai love to 'modify' anything and everything,

perhaps if they refrained a bit the tuk tuk's would be a bit quieter?

[penzman]

Thaksin himself runs on propa(ne)ganda.

[johnnyk]

Detroit of Asia?

Let's hope not.

GM = bankrupt in all but name, no new attractive products in the pipeline, so forward-looking they are still churning out monster SUVs

Adelphi, huge parts supplier to GM = Chapter 11

Ford = teetering, about to toss 30,000 workers

Emulate Japan, man! &lt;deleted&gt; bozo, he is.

[kayo]

yeah right.. gonna out manufacture the japanese and the koreans.. I htink not.

[PanzerJohn]

PM SAID THAILAND HAS MET CRITERIONS TO BECOME 'DETROIT OF ASIA'

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra stated that his government has achieved its target and criterion in becoming the "Detroit of Asia." PM Thaksin said Thailand had the capacity to manufacture 1,170,000 cars in year 2005.

During the “Prime Minister Meets the Press” session, PM Thaksin said Thialand can easily produce more than 1,000,000 cars per year. Thailand has been ranked fourth in the highest car production. Moreover, the premier said that he will boost vehicle production to reach 1,800,000 cars per year, forecasting that Thailand will gain 400,000 million baht per year from car exports.

--thaisnews.com 2005-12-17

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Makes a change from hubs.These desperate sounding pronouncements seem to be on a weekly basis, does Wakky Takky really think they will distract from the problems that seem to be pileing up around him?

[juggler]

This might seem a bit off topic, but Detriot to me, makes me think of Derrick May. Born there in 1969 he was one of the first people ever to use looping in music, which lead on to the creation of the fine house and techno we have today.....If only.......If education in the country was better, and schooling was compulsory up untill the age of sixteen for example (and free untill the age of 18 as an option), the Thai people might end up making inventions of their own! Now that would be something (please correct me if im wrong but i can't think of any Thai inventions off hand)

Anyhow, seems its better to keep uneducated uneducated....and then build factories for them. Brilliant

Make more money....... don't spend on improving the quality of peoples lives in general. See the comedy, how the colour green is associated with the environment....yet the 'green' busses are indeed the ones that seem to allways billow out the noxious gas.

Edited December 19, 2005 by juggler

[cwilliam]

So they are in fourth place in car production where?  Asia?  Possibly after Japan, China and India.  In the world, don't hold your breath. 

Why would he want to be like Detroit anyhow?  Has he ever been there or know of it's "rust belt" reputation?

I'm just praying they can build something to replace those green monster mini-busses that whip through traffic like they think they are sports cars, not transportation for those unfortunate enough to need them, all the while spewing out huge black clouds of death gasses to anyone closeby. 

Can't they do something about that first.  It's such an ugly thing to allow and such a big sore thumb on the city.  So simple to correct, yet allowed to poision the air we breath like coal burning beasts from the 1800's.

Fix that and I'll be impressed Mr. PM

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If Detroit was full of Thais it would be a nice city.

[Plus]

They are delusional - all they make is pickup trucks and their market share grows and grows while regular cars' sales shrink. This road will lead Thailand to nowhere - five truck models and a couple of Toyota and Honda cars for 60 million people.

In the UK, with about the same population, there are about 300 models available, in Thailand there are only 130. In the UK those 300 are spread in price between 400k and 5 mil baht, in Thailand it's 400k - 15 mil with very low purchasing power.

The prospects for CAR makers are in fact gloomy.

[Thai-Aust]

PM SAID THAILAND HAS MET CRITERIONS TO BECOME 'DETROIT OF ASIA'

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra stated that his government has achieved its target and criterion in becoming the "Detroit of Asia." PM Thaksin said Thailand had the capacity to manufacture 1,170,000 cars in year 2005.

--thaisnews.com 2005-12-17

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And I wonder why cars in Thailand are very expensive, more expensive than those in Aust when compared with the same model and capacity. Most car manufacturers have their plants in Thailand but yet Thais are paying hefty for the cars that made in their own country. what a joke!

[Heng]

PM SAID THAILAND HAS MET CRITERIONS TO BECOME 'DETROIT OF ASIA'

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra stated that his government has achieved its target and criterion in becoming the "Detroit of Asia." PM Thaksin said Thailand had the capacity to manufacture 1,170,000 cars in year 2005.

--thaisnews.com 2005-12-17

And I wonder why cars in Thailand are very expensive, more expensive than those in Aust when compared with the same model and capacity. Most car manufacturers have their plants in Thailand but yet Thais are paying hefty for the cars that made in their own country. what a joke!

More like... "what a 'supply and demand economics anyone'!"

[charles]

 

And I wonder why cars in Thailand are very expensive, more expensive than those in Aust when compared with the same model and capacity. Most car manufacturers have their plants in Thailand but yet Thais are paying hefty for the cars that made in their own country. what a joke!

Passenger cars in Thailand are subject to high excise taxes (in addition to VAT), even the small cars, 30% and upwards. Don't know what excise taxes are like in Aus or other countries but would guess they could be quite a bit less.

In contrast, pick-ups in Thailand, esp. 2-door versions, have very low excise taxes applied to them.

[tom yum goong]

i'm just grateful prices here are not the same as in Malaysia or Singapore.

1 million baht for a Toyota Vios anybody?

[Plus]

But you can buy local Perodua or what they are called for a lot cheaper than Vios in Thailand, and Malaysians have income double that of Thailand. They aren't perfect and they don't know what to do with their native cars but they don't boast about being Detroit of Asia either.

Who thought of "Detroit of Asia" anyway? Are Japan and Korea are not in Asia anymore?

Heng, supply and demand? Are you talking about people's ability to influence government tax policies? There's no visible demand for that and so there's no supply - just swallow whatever rates they push on you while daydeaming about being "Detroit".

[tom yum goong]

There are 2 Malaysian car manufacturers, Proton and Perodua. Prices for these are less than Japanese models due to protectionist tax policies, but they are still not that cheap.

Starting prices are similar to starting prices for locally assembled Jap cars here in Thailand.

I know which scenario i'd rather have.

[Heng]

Heng, supply and demand? Are you talking about people's ability to influence government tax policies? There's no visible demand for that and so there's no supply - just swallow whatever rates they push on you while daydeaming about being "Detroit".

I'm talking about the price people are willing to pay for cars. The demand is there and is IS quite visible (just look on the roads).

IMO the prices aren't high enough.

[Plus]

Yeah, 60% of all traffic are pickups, most of them are never used for any hauling purposes - that's very visible.

Volkswagens are not that visible, or Saab, or Audi, or Opel, or Korean cars, or French cars, or Italian cars, or American for that matter. All we get is Toyota, Honda, and pickups. We don't get diesel engines for passenger cars, we don't get CVT transmissions (except City/Jazz) or any new technology, all we get is Japanese basics or overpriced imports.

Malaysians are busy levelling playing field for domestic and imported cars. Can we say the same about Thailand? Thailand has advantage only in low end of the market with locally assembled cars

Malaysian prices from http://www.cardirect.com.my/?view=hot_new

Local Perodua - all under under 50k MR (500k Baht)

Vios - 70-80k - 700-800k Baht

BUT

Nissan Murano - 2 mil cheaper than in Thailand, Toyota Harrier - 2 mil cheaper than in Thailand. Ssanyong Rexton - 1 mil cheaper than in Thailand.

They list BMW 5 series for under 2 mil baht. What would happen here with prices like that? 700k pickup doesn't look like such a nice deal anymore.

[tom yum goong]

the only Peroduas listed on the site which are in the price range you stated have 1 litre engines.

so for just under the price of a 1.5l Vios J, i could buy a 1litre Perodua.

hmm, tough decision.

Some more: Wish & Fortuner - 1.5 million baht, Altis - 1.1 million baht, Camry - almost 2 million baht.

I'm more concerned about the prices for these cars rather than prices for luxury models.

I frequent a couple of Malaysian motoring forums, i've found that the general consensus there is that motorists in Thailand get the better deal.

[sierra01]

The Detroit of Asia tag must be for local consumption only, as Plus said, 'are Japan and Korea not in Asia anymore'?

[PeaceBlondie]

Some of the newest big assembly factories in the USA are nowhere near Detroit. Honda builds in Ohio (cars and Gold Wings), Kawasaki builds in Nebraska (still, I think), and some of the larger plants of the American makers are in Oklahoma, Texas, and other non-union states. Toyota and Chevrolet/Geo had a joint assembly plant in Los Angeles. Many "American" cars have motors or chassis made in Mexico. Some have Canadian parts.

If it hadn't been for SUV's and other gas guzzlers, and if there weren't still a few million Pearl Harbor survivors buying American cars, the Big 3 would be on the trash heap with Packard, Studebaker, Edsel, and the latest victim, 100-year old Oldsmobile.

Thailand should be copying Japan, Korea, or even Indonesia. I think it was in Indonesia where the Mercedes customers refused to buy the last generation Mercs, because they knew they weren't the latest model. Are you guys saying the cars assembled in Thailand are prior generation? The Honda Dreams and Waves are five to ten generations previous to what the Japanese Big 4 sell in real markets. The Japanese may be treating the Thai market like the Nepalese and Burmese markets.

Perhaps Mr. Thaksin should ask that Thailand become "The Hub of Asia's Second Hammamutsu Hubs."

Edited December 20, 2005 by PeaceBlondie

[johnnyk]

Remember the old adage, "Don't buy a Detroit car if its made on a Monday or a Friday"?

Monday the workers are hung over, Friday they're stoned.

Haven't had a Big 3 car since the 70s, never will again.

[Plus]

Tom Yam Goong, for vast the majority of Thais prices of "luxury" cars are of no consequense and they do get a better deal on low end locally made Toyotas, BUT, should BMW sell for less than 2 mil, which is just a tad over Camry and situation would change, it would change dramatically if ALL European makes will be under 2 mil, five million max for any top model Benz/Bimmers.

This thread is not about Malaysia anyway.

What we have here is TRT songbirds harping about sweet success whereas they should take a good look at what is happening to the local auto industry - pickups take greater and greater market share and car sales shrink. Is it sustainable? What will happen next year? Two years from now? Three?

Can Mitsubishi or Nissan sustain drop in sales for three years? Will they be forced to shutdown their car-making factories? What will happen to all supporing industries? Will they all shift to supplying Isuzu and Toyota trucks?

And, contrary to the report, Thailand is only 14th larget car maker in the world.