Thailand's August car production rises 10.9% on year

Thailand's car output climbed 10.93 per cent year on year in August to 124,646 units, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), which released the figures on Monday. Business Recorder reported that the August gain followed a 6.12 per cent rise recorded in July. Domestic car sales also moved sharply higher, up 25.59 per cent from a year earlier after a 20.07 per cent increase in July.

Exports, however, slipped 2.04 per cent year on year in August, reversing a 2.39 per cent gain in the previous month. In July, the FTI projected a 3.33 per cent fall in car production for the whole of 2026, a shift from its earlier forecast of a 3 per cent rise, citing weaker exports linked to hostilities in the Middle East. The government also said last month it intended to lower excise tax rates for carmakers that set up local plants, aiming to boost use of domestically sourced components and materials. Thailand remains Southeast Asia's largest auto production hub and an export base for global brands such as Toyota and Honda.