BANGKOK, March 28 – Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Kittirat Na-Ranong, said that Thailand is now among the world’s top ten automobile production bases, foreseeing that the country’s annual auto production should reach three million units over the next four to five years.
The remarks were made on Wednesday after he presented the Car of the Year 2013 award, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported. He said that the projected auto production capacity is possible due to the people’s rising purchasing power and the government’s policy on supporting automobile production.
He also suggested that the Thai private sector adapt to the government’s plan to base the excise tax imposed on automobiles on their carbon dioxide emissions, noting, however, that the government sets a three-year grace period for local manufacturers to prepare themselves. According to the deputy premier, only one per cent of the people who ordered cars under the first-car rebate scheme, cancelled their orders.
“Their revocation should not, thus, pose any problem, as some 1.25 million vehicles were ordered under the first-car buyer scheme,” he added.
BERNAMA
