Asian Games gives new life to dying Thai 'tuk tuk' firm

Asian Games gives new life to dying Thai 'tuk tuk' firm

By Sutin Wannabovorn

AMNART CHAROEN, Thailand (Reuters): The smile is back on
Chusak Maratana's face as he watches workers in his factory
finish the main structure of a tuk tuk, the traditional Thai
three-wheeled motorcycle taxi.

Business had been really down recently due to a national
economic crisis that sharply cut orders for the popular taxis,
which are widely used in Thai villages and towns alike.

But things are looking up for Chusak, owner of tuk tuk maker
D'Mes Industrial Corp., after he won a contract to supply 150
vehicles for two months use by officials and athletes at the 13th
Asian Games, scheduled to be held Dec. 6 to Dec. 20 in Bangkok.

The motor rickshaw-like tuk tuk have two rows of seats in the
canvas-covered passenger compartment and take their name from the
sound their engines make while idling.

"I used to have more than 100 orders per month. But in the
past 18 months, only a dozen orders came in." he said.

"Ten years ago, villagers used to queue up at my factory
waiting to buy my tuk tuk. Some even helped my workers to finish
their orders quickly so it could get on the road," he added.

The good old days ground to a halt with the economic crisis as
those who had bought on an installment basis could not make
monthly repayments after banks cut their credit lines.

A Filipino businessman who had agreed to buy 100 tuk tuk per
month from Chusak's factory abruptly canceled his order after the
economic turmoil hit the region last summer.

"Six sample tuk tuk were sent to the Philippines before the
order was canceled," Chusak said.

The slump in business forced him to lay off more than 100
workers and craftsmen.

Now with the Asian Games contract, Chusak has reinstated more
than a dozen workers and recalled 100 tuk tuk from his old
customers to repair and refurbish them in time for the event.
His factory also is making 50 new tuk tuk for the Games.

Under the Asian Games contract, a caravan of Chusak's tuk tuk
will travel to 28 Thai provinces next month to promote the event.
They will also be used at the Games village.

"I have to do my best for the Games. I hope that foreigners
will be impressed with my tuk tuk and orders will come in from
abroad after that," he said.

"I really hope the Asian Games will help revive the slumping
tuk tuk business as they are widely seen as a key symbol of
Thailand," he added.

Chusak, 43, has been in the auto engineering and tuk tuk
making business for 20 years. He supplies his vehicles to the
local market and neighboring countries, especially Laos.

His 50-million baht (US$1.25-million) plant, with 150
craftsmen and workers, is in this northeastern Thai town near the
Mekong river bordering Laos, some 650 km (400 miles) from
Bangkok.

The self-made Chusak got into the skillful art of tuk tuk
making soon after finishing elementary school, gaining some
knowledge as a boy from repairing cars and doing welding at a
local service station .

He has built more than 20,000 tuk tuk over two decades, mainly
for the Thai and Laotian markets.

Using his own designs and innovations, Chusak guarantees the
safety standard of his 3.8-meter long, 700-kg mini-cab.

He sells them at around 60,000 to 70,000 baht (US$1,500 to
$1,750) each.

"Eighty percent of the tuk tuk in Laos were imported from my
factory," he said.

Besides tuk tuk, his factory also makes mini trucks, mini-fire
engines and mini-mail vans for state agencies.

Two tuk tuk made by his factory are now in use in Germany as
mobile souvenir shops. Six others are in Jordan and some are in
use in Sudan as rural transport vehicles.

More than 10,000 athletes and officials from 43 members
countries are expected to participate in the Asian Games. Chusak
hopes the sports event will spark a revival of his trade.