BANGKOK: Thailand's domestic car sales are expected at 800,000 units next year, up from an earlier estimate of 780,000, as a recovering economy lifts demand, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said today.
The FTI last month predicted a 4 percent rise in car sales in 2017. Its estimate for this year is 750,000 cars.
Car exports are expected to be 1.2 million units next year, up from 1.18-1.19 million cars predicted for 2016, Surapong Paisitpattanapong, spokesman for the FTI's Auto Industry, told reporters.
Annual domestic auto sales have been weak since May 2013, following the fading effect of a government first-car subsidy scheme, which ended in 2012, when sales jumped 81 percent.
Thailand is a regional vehicle production and export base for the world's top carmakers.
