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