FX.co ★ Thailand Car Sales Rise for 1st Time in Nearly 2 Years

Domestic car sales in Thailand experienced a modest increase of 0.97% year-on-year, reaching 47,190 units in April 2025. This follows a 0.54% decline in the previous month, signaling the first growth observed in almost two years and indicating a tentative resurgence in demand, as reported by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Conversely, car production saw a slight decrease of 0.4%, dropping to 104,250 units in April, marking the lowest monthly output in 44 months. In the first four months of 2025, vehicle production totaled 456,749 units, reflecting an 11.96% decrease compared to the same timeframe the previous year. As Southeast Asia's largest automotive manufacturing hub and an essential export base for major global automakers such as Toyota and Honda, Thailand experienced a 6.3% year-on-year decline in vehicle exports, an improvement from the 14.9% contraction recorded in March. The FTI emphasized that external influences, particularly the results of trade negotiations with major partners like the United States, will be pivotal in determining the sector’s future direction.