Thai car output down 25.5% in September

Car production in Thailand fell 25.5% in September from a year earlier, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Thursday.
The figure compared with a 20.6% decline in August, and reflected a slump in domestic sales as lenders tighten credit conditions.
Non-performing loans for cars reached 254 billion baht in the second quarter of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 29.7%, the FTI said earlier.
Domestic car sales dropped 37.1% to 117,000 units in September, said Surapong Paisitpattanapong, a spokesman for the federation’s automotive division.
Exports were down 10.8% in September from a year earlier due to economic issues among trading partners and the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, he said.
Thailand is Southeast Asia’s biggest auto production centre and an export base for some of the world’s top carmakers, including Toyota and Honda.