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.