Auto sales up in four main SE Asian markets

Auto sales up in four main SE Asian markets

SINGAPORE (AFP): New vehicle sales in Southeast Asia's four biggest markets rose 9.0 percent in the five months of this year, weighed down by a weak performance in the Philippines, an industry monitor said on Tuesday.

The Philippines was the only market to experience a decline with a fall of 15 percent, Automotive Resources Asia Ltd. (ARA) said in its latest report.

New vehicle sales in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines from January to May totalled 400,200 units, up from 367,333 units last year.

"The Thai, Indonesian and Malaysian automotive markets continue to recover at respectable rates, despite the countries' uncertain economic conditions," said ARA associate May Arthapan.

But in the Philippines, "unresolved political and social problems are cutting into consumer confidence," Arthapan said.

Thailand posted the biggest increase in percentage terms, with sales up 14 percent to 112,903 vehicles, while the Malaysian market rose 11 percent to 150,287 and Indonesia was up nine percent to 108,058 units.

In the Philippines, sales dropped 15 percent to 28,952 vehicles from 34,024 in the same period last year.

The Philippines this year has seen a popular uprising topple president Joseph Estrada in favor of vice president Gloria Arroyo, followed by riots and a march on the presidential palace by 50,000 Estrada supporters after he was charged with plunder which carries the death penalty.

Malaysia's national car Proton remained the most popular make in the four countries with a 20-percent share of the market, followed by Toyota with 15 percent, and Mitsubishi and Isuzu with 11 percent each.

Most of the rest of the market is shared by Malaysia's Perodua and Japanese car makers Honda and Nissan.