CONSUMER SENTIMENT
Vehicle sales to remain subdued in May
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's vehicle sale should remain low in May due to the softening economy and the current political condition, said an executive of Toyota Motor Thailand.

"The economy is slowing while the political condition is intensifying. These may send a psychological impact on consumers and investors, and hence affect the auto market," said Vudhigorn Suriyachantananont, senior vice president of TMT.

According to data compiled by the company, a number of 73,260 vehicles were sold in Thailand in April, showing a 33.2 per cent drop from the same period last year. Cumulative sales in the first four months of this year reached 297,431 units, down by 43.1 per cent.


-- The Nation 2014-05-26

....and June, July, August, etc. Expect current events will impact big ticket purchases very significantly for the rest of the year.

The extensively abused first car program merely brought demand forward. Expect sales to remain subdued for a long time as second hand vehicles flood the market.

To be honest, about time. Consumption was through the roof. A good idea would be to start marketing cars made here, abroad. Especially pick up trucks. The FTA with Europe needs to be signed for that. Just a thought. Maybe move that forward too. It was destined for end of this year.

Te market was previously stimulated by the tax-scam that the Thaksin government had organised. 100,000 baht off your tax, but the clever part was you had to pay it before you got it back. What I understand from motor industry insiders that the kick-back was 5,000 baht per car that went to Thaksin. That was by way of a thank you for stimulating the car market. And sadly a lot of peeps still haven't got their 100k back.

As mentioned by other TV members, the tax put on vehicles is exorbitant. What is it up to now a/b 100 percent of the value of the vehicle?

No wonder Isaan Village people make their own ????? transportation (for lack of a better term). The dismal truth is these things are a danger on the road and certainly not legal - but TIT so legal smeagle.... not to worry. Want to see sales skyrocket? Make the tax a reasonable percentage/amount. Hell a car made in Thailand sold in Thailand is somehow declared an "import." ????? Right?

As mentioned by other TV members, the tax put on vehicles is exorbitant. What is it up to now a/b 100 percent of the value of the vehicle?

No wonder Isaan Village people make their own ????? transportation (for lack of a better term). The dismal truth is these things are a danger on the road and certainly not legal - but TIT so legal smeagle.... not to worry. Want to see sales skyrocket? Make the tax a reasonable percentage/amount. Hell a car made in Thailand sold in Thailand is somehow declared an "import." ????? Right?

What on earth are you waffling on about. the exorbinate "tax" is on imported vehicles. A car made in Thailand for the Thailand market is not declared as an import.

The Japanese car makers couldn't care less about environment concerns around the world, all those Japanese car makers care about is money. Whether there are continuing traffic jams or not, nothing really matters to them as long as they get their money...

The car industry in Thailand is owned and controlled by the Japanese...

... if you want the traffic jam madness to continue instead of investing in public transportation, so be it...

The Japanese car makers couldn't care less about environment concerns around the world, all those Japanese car makers care about is money. Whether there are continuing traffic jams or not, nothing really matters to them as long as they get their money...

The car industry in Thailand is owned and controlled by the Japanese...

... if you want the traffic jam madness to continue instead of investing in public transportation, so be it...

.." if you want the traffic jam madness to continue instead of investing in public transportation, so be it.."

I would be interested in people's perspective on car parking provision in Thailand's cities. As the number of vehicles gradually expand is it like the frog in boiling water analogy (where people don't notice because it's happening very gradually) but every time I am in a shopping centre or other public venue I seem to see motorists having much greater difficulty finding a parking space because its full. I'm wondering whether the designers of some of these shopping centres never expected to see the number of cars that we now have on Thailand's roads.