Thai auto show revs up despite high oil prices<\/p>\n
Michael Mathes, Agence France-Presse\/Bangkok<\/p>\n
Asia's second largest auto show has expected thousands of
\nenthusiasts to pour into the Bangkok event starting on Friday and
\nlay out hundreds of millions of dollars on new wheels but experts
\nwarned high fuel costs could put the brakes on getting carried
\naway.<\/p>\n
The Bangkok International Motor Show, now in its 26th year, is
\na premier showcase for the auto industry's latest models. Some
\n1.6 million people are expected to pass through the gates during
\nthe 10-day event.<\/p>\n
Plenty of high luxury and horsepower will be on offer and
\nChavalit Soontrapook of event organizer Grand Prix International
\nsaid he expects sales to match or exceed the 10 billion baht
\n(US$260 million) at the 2004 show, which proved a bumper year for
\nauto sales.<\/p>\n
\"Our strength this year will be in trying to persuade people
\nto use less oil,\" Chavalit told AFP. \"There is strong competition
\nheating up (at the show) for fuel-efficient cars.\"<\/p>\n
He said the market for economy pickup trucks, particularly
\nfrom Japanese giants Toyota and Isuzu, was growing in Thailand,
\nespecially as the country grapples with record-high oil prices.<\/p>\n
Thai business and consumers were asked this week to bite the
\nbullet when the government raised diesel fuel prices by 20
\npercent as it tries to wean the country off a massive fuel
\nsubsidy program that has already cost the government more than
\n$1.9 billion.<\/p>\n
Thailand freed up petrol prices last October.<\/p>\n
Automotive Resources Asia, a market research consulting firm
\nbased in Bangkok, was predicting a more modest reaction to the
\nshow given the oil price crunch.<\/p>\n
\"In terms of performance or sales we could expect it to be
\nslower than in years gone by,\" ARA partner John Bonnell told AFP
\non the eve of the event.<\/p>\n
More importantly, perhaps, he said the show \"will be a key
\nbarometer for how the rest of the year will play out,
\nparticularly in light of the fuel price situation\".<\/p>\n
After a year in which Thailand's auto industry -- the largest
\nin Southeast Asia -- hit an all-time sales high of 626,026
\nvehicles, February sales fell 4.1 percent year-on-year to 47,038
\nas consumers put the brakes on new passenger car purchases, said
\nthe industry's compiler, Toyota Motor Thailand.<\/p>\n
In January, the industry had forecast 2005 could see a gain of
\n10 percent to 690,000 units sold but Bonnell said that may now
\nprove too optimistic.<\/p>\n
Ford Thailand, which claims about a 4 percent market share in
\nthe kingdom, is debuting its 2005 Focus series in Asia at the
\nshow and highlighting the latest version of its iconic and
\nmuscular Mustang GT.<\/p>\n
Among this year's highlights is a replica of the world's first
\nmotor \"car\", the Benz Patent Motor Car of 1886. The motorized
\ntricycle and carriage is accompanied by five other antique Benz
\ncars loaned by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre in Stuttgart.<\/p>\n
Thai Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has lent seven of his
\nvintage cars to the show as well, Chavalit said.<\/p>\n
On offer will be a raft of luxury European models, Japanese
\nconcept cars, rally-worthy roadsters, vehicles by Thai bus and
\nvan manufacturers, a cabriolet Cooper Mini and a series of sport
\nutility vehicles.<\/p>",
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