Thai vehicle sales jump 35%

Thai vehicle sales jump 35%

BANGKOK: Thailand's domestic vehicle sales in the first eight
months of 2002 grew 34.9 percent over the same period last year
to 251,752 units, according to industry figures released Monday.

The numbers were boosted by robust sales growth of 51.2
percent in August, according to the industry's appointed monitor
Toyota.

"It is the sixth straight month that vehicle sales have
reached more than 30,000 units," Toyota said in a statement. "The
growing number of commercial car and pick-up truck sales shows
that steady growth."

The statement did not include full-year predictions, but in
June the industry tipped auto sales to reach 350,000 units in
2002, compared to 297,052 units sold in 2001.

Toyota led with an 83.5 percent share for August, mostly in
passenger car sales, while Isuzu topped the list of commercial
and pick-up truck sales. -- AFP