300,000 trucks idle after economic slowdown: Land Transport Federation Thailand

[webfact]

300,000 Trucks Idle After Economic Slowdown
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK — Transportation companies in Thailand are taking a serious hit from the economic slowdown caused by the country’s ongoing political crisis, said the President of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand (LTFT).

A contraction in the demand for transportation has left approximately 30% of Thailand’s trucks — around 300,000 vehicles — sitting idle in parking lots, LFTF President Mr. Yoo Jienyuenyongpong said on Sunday.

“Since the protests broke out at the end of 2013, the demand for good transportation has shrunk to no less than 5-10%, particularly after the Songkran Festival” said Mr. Yoo. “Rainy season is typically low season for transport, and the demand has sharply dropped 30%, even less than last year’s 20%.”

According to Mr. Yoo, the political situation has also caused a decrease in the number of newly purchased vehicles.

“Companies have purchased only 8,000 vehicles so far this year,” Mr. Yoo said. “The number has not made it up to 50% of last year’s figure at approximately 40,000 newly-purchased trucks. It is expected that the number will drop further throughout the year.”

The political situation in Thailand has affected the country’s balance of exports and imports, which is now in deficit. Investor and consumer confidence have also taken a dive because of uncertainty about the country’s future.

Many transportation companies lack policies to lay off drivers because they are accustomed to the recent years of labour shortage, Mr. Yoo said. He predicted that the companies will have no choice but to sustain their businesses until the political crisis is solved and the economic is revived.

“However, if the economy does not improve, small transport companies may be forced to shut down”, said Mr. Yoo.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1401692835


-- Khaosod English 2014-06-02

[davejones23]

Just imagine how many less road deaths there have been due to so many trucks not being on the roads. Likely a few hundred people who would be dead are now alive. Every cloud has a silver lining.

[GoodThaiGirl]

Just imagine how many less road deaths there have been due to so many trucks not being on the roads. Likely a few hundred people who would be dead are now alive. Every cloud has a silver lining.

beat me to it... ......remember they need something/someone to blame...the country was/is in decline before all this political turmoil as he put it...i would wager a small bet that his job is safe though..

[bigbamboo]

Now that the crisis is showing signs of being brought under control and the country is being surprisingly well managed at last hopefully things should pick up soon. The outlook is actually rosier than it's been for some time.

[JoeThePoster]

has left approximately 30% of Thailand’s trucks — around 300,000 vehicles

No need to overload the trucks then, I guess.

[Bluespunk]

"Rainy season is typically low season for transport, and the demand has sharply dropped 30%, even less than last year’s 20%."

What rainy season? Been hotter and drier than ever here.

[WhizBang]

Coulda fooled me. Seems like there are as many as always on the roads. Certainly no shortage of big trucks on the road to/from Pattaya.

[bdenner]

300,000 Trucks idle??? Ya kidding me. That equals 1 Truck for every one in 223 of the Thai population. PLUS the number of trucks working!!! How many of the bloody things are on the roads in this country???? If it is the case TTF for small mercies.

Edited June 2, 2014 by bdenner

[Chao Lao Beach]

300, 000 Seem like allot of trucks, I wonder if that claim would pass a real audit ?

[lomatopo]

Yeah, 300,000 people out of work. Goods not being manufactured, farmed, produced and transported. That's always a good thing. (It's not, BTW.)

How many road deaths are attributable to trucks?

Must be Thaksin's fault.

[ratcatcher]

300,000 trucks idle

Can't be all bad then.

[ratcatcher]

300, 000 Seem like allot of trucks, I wonder if that claim would pass a real audit ?

I am no mathematician but if 300,000 - 30 foot long trucks were lined up one behind the other, they would be 9,000,000 feet long. There are 5,280 feet to a mile thus they would occupy a road 1,704 miles long (or for the metric minded 3000km.

That is trucks 10 meters long. Somebody is grossly exaggerating this number IMHO.

30,000 trucks--possible. Even 3,000 trucks is a lot. Any comments?

[Payboy]

300, 000 Seem like allot of trucks, I wonder if that claim would pass a real audit ?

I am no mathematician but if 300,000 - 30 foot long trucks were lined up one behind the other, they would be 9,000,000 feet long. There are 5,280 feet to a mile thus they would occupy a road 1,704 miles long (or for the metric minded 3000km.

That is trucks 10 meters long. Somebody is grossly exaggerating this number IMHO.

30,000 trucks--possible. Even 3,000 trucks is a lot. Any comments?

Half that if they are all double parked as usual.

[Chris Lawrence]

An observation I made with car sales here in oz in the 1980's was that when sales were up white goods sales down. And vice-a-versa. People had to feel good so they bought one or the other.

But this is trucks and the average sales are way behind.

But I wonder how car sales are and white good sales are at the moment in Thailand? It does sound as though the economy is contracting; all I was trying to come up with is some type of marker to confirm this?

The other thing this brings to the market place is fighting for contracts and work. Truckies may cut corners to survive or get annoyed with payouts/handouts and they may get none.

The junta may have to get some international contracts happening? The economy and the internaional business community may need this? They may have to also increase taxes?

[kratiam]

300, 000 Seem like allot of trucks, I wonder if that claim would pass a real audit ?

I am no mathematician but if 300,000 - 30 foot long trucks were lined up one behind the other, they would be 9,000,000 feet long. There are 5,280 feet to a mile thus they would occupy a road 1,704 miles long (or for the metric minded 3000km.

That is trucks 10 meters long. Somebody is grossly exaggerating this number IMHO.

30,000 trucks--possible. Even 3,000 trucks is a lot. Any comments?

Thanks for this illustration - it's a brilliant way to expose a wild mistranslation (or something).

I'm in the business of helping operators fight against diesel theft from trucks and I estimate the total number of trucks over 4 tonnes GVW is only around 400k.

[FangFerang]

The economy has been in decline since Abhisit's administration. The next one, the PTP, continued insular policies and added to it. All Thais have this notion that economics, like politics, is only to be considered in terms of "when is the next election?"

The leaders of Western countries share this myopia. And suffer from it.

Ok, the junta is in control now. They better turn things around, or there will be hell to pay.

[Bocking]

Perhaps since the rice scheme came under closer scrutiny, the rural rice roundabout has been closed, thus making the re-re-re-retransportation of rice impractical. Not sure of the math, but 2.8 million ton of missing rice would fill how many trucks?

[ratcatcher]

The economy has been in decline since Abhisit's administration. The next one, the PTP, continued insular policies and added to it. All Thais have this notion that economics, like politics, is only to be considered in terms of "when is the next election?"

The leaders of Western countries share this myopia. And suffer from it.

Ok, the junta is in control now. They better turn things around, or there will be hell to pay.

"They better turn things around, or there will be hell to pay."

Well, the junta have paid and are still paying the farmers. So far so good.

Since the coup was less than 2 weeks ago, I suspect hell will have to wait a while to be paid.

[Greenhill]

300,000 trucks? TAT providing the figures, I suppose??!!!

[Thai at Heart]

No need for trains then if there is a huge surplus of trucks.

[Loptr]

I would dare say that the political unrest is not the only reason for the economic slow-down in Thailand. All world economies are in contraction (again) using manufacturing and dry shipping numbers as a leading indicator.

[sumtingwong]

Anybody want to buy a truck, cheap?

[noitom]

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Just imagine how many less road deaths there have been due to so many trucks not being on the roads. Likely a few hundred people who would be dead are now alive. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Does anyone know how many kills/truck in Thailand?

[siampolee]

B.I.B. must be feeling the financial pinch now then,.

Edited June 3, 2014 by siampolee

[trogers]

I would dare say that the political unrest is not the only reason for the economic slow-down in Thailand. All world economies are in contraction (again) using manufacturing and dry shipping numbers as a leading indicator.

And the economic decline of China will cause further slowdown - lower tourist numbers and lower demand for farm produce.

Next, the number of tour coaches left idle...

[ezzra]

Every (fumes) clouds have a silver lining.....

[chainarong]

I don't think this position will alter in the coming months , depending on what type of trade embargo's that are placed on Thailand by the feel good international crowd, it can only get worse, the amount of trucks idle is a surprise and I suggest they use a calculator, they might arrive at a different number, even so Thailand's economy was in the minus last quarter because of the protest strife, one might see an improvement coming up in the coming months under the new government , but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[wprime]

In other news, road fatalities down by 30%.

[monkey4u]

On Friday afternoon I think I passed all 300,0000 of these trucks returning from Swampy

[ggt]

If trucks are still idling...I suggest you turn the engines off...to save fuel...