Rainy Season Doesn’t Dampen May LV Sales in Thailand

Thailand’s new-vehicle market continued its recovery with May sales up 16.0% to 66,035 units despite the arrival of the rainy season that usually slows demand.

However, the May gain was not enough to reduce the year-to-date deficit, down 2.0% at 302,581 units.

Toyota Thailand, which collates sales for the national industry, says car sales rose in May for the first time in 36 months, growing 8.3% to 25,050 units. Commercial-vehicle deliveries were ahead 21.2% at 40,985, including the 1-ton pickup segment up 29.8% at 33,549.

After five months, car sales were down 17.4% at 103,710 units, while the CV market was up 8.5% at 198,871.

Toyota Thailand Vice President Vudhigorn Suriyachantananont says after the long economic slowdown, both businesses and households remain cautious about investing and spending.

Toyota was the overall market leader in May with sales up 23.9% to 22,307 units for a 33.8% market share. Isuzu followed, up 19.3% at 12,757 units, ahead of Honda, up 10.6% at 9,812.

The car segment saw Toyota climb 19.6% year-over-year to 8,896 units for a 35.5% market share. Honda followed, up 18.4% at 7,177 units, with Mazda up 13.5% at 2,230.

Toyota also led the CV segment, with deliveries up 26.9% at 13,411 units, just ahead of Isuzu, up 17.3% at 12,757. Mitsubishi was a distant third, up 34.7% to 2,950 units, all of them 1-ton pickups.

Within the CV segment, Toyota led the 1-ton pickup market, up 32.2% at 12,842 units, again followed closely by Isuzu, up 19.1% at 11,649. Mitsubishi finished third.

The 5-month CV total saw Toyota on top, down 13.4% at 87,715 deliveries but still comfortably ahead of Isuzu, up 4.6% at 61,119. Honda fell 6.2% to 43,949 units.

Honda led the car segment through May, down 7.4% at 31,269 units, with Toyota off 39.2% at 27,849 but ahead of Mazda, up 28.4% at 11,445.

Isuzu paced the CV segment year-to-date with deliveries up 4.6% at 61,119 units. This was enough to keep it ahead of Toyota, up 7.9% at 59,866 units. Mitsubishi rose 38.0% to 17,981.

The 1-ton pickup market saw Toyota on top after five months, up 11.5% to 56,834 units, just ahead of Isuzu, up 4.4% at 55,769. Mitsubishi was third with 17,981 deliveries.

Ford led the Thai market’s non-Japanese automakers with May sales rising 16.2% to 2,951 units for a 5-month total up 22.2% at 14,232. Chevrolet continued to struggle, falling 17.7% last month to 955 units to give it a year-to-date total down 16.7% at 5,729.

Mazda Coming on Strong

Mazda Thailand boasted the highest growth rate in the recovering market.

President Hidesuke Takesue says Mazda has notched monthly sales of more than 3,500 units for seven consecutive months.

“The small-car segment still remains a strong contributor, with the Mazda2 maintaining its high popularity since its launch with May sales of 1,889 units surging by 43% compared to the same month last year.”

Last month’s result pushed the Mazda2’s 5-month total up 67% to 9,556 deliveries.

New production figures from the Federation of Thai Industries’ Automotive Industry Club reflect the growing optimism in the country’s automotive sector.

The club says May production soared 24.7% year-on-year to 168,394 units, lifting the 5-month total 3.8% to 813,505.

Meantime, Transport Vice Minister Teerapong Rodprasert tells the Bangkok Post Toyota has complained a clampdown on illegal passenger vans has hurt its van sales nationwide.

Teerapong says strict conditions targeting sales of unregistered passenger vans have significantly reduced nationwide deliveries of Toyota vans.

Owners of illegal passenger vans register them as private vehicles, avoid police criminal record checks, are not licensed to drive public transport vehicles and do not undergo the regular checks legal passenger vans must pass.

The government says the strict regulations will remain in place as there are about 3,000 illegal passenger vans on the roads, compared with 6,000 legal ones.