Future of auto industry

From one-tonne pickup to eco-cars, Japanese investors lead the pack as Thailand aims to be a top 10 producer.

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AUTOMOBILES: Thailand aims for top 10 carmaking status by 2015 by Santan Santivimolnat

Thailand's auto industry is targeting production of 3 million vehicles annually by 2015, pushing the country into the top 10 from its present 12th ranking.

Atchaka Sibunruang, secretary-general of the Board of Investment (BoI), last Thursday said automobiles are a core local industry, as evidenced by the 1.65 million vehicles produced last year.

She was speaking at the Automotive Summit 2011 hosted by Reed Tradex at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center on Bang Na-Trat Road.

Last year's success was in part thanks to Thailand's 2,300 automotive parts suppliers, said Dr Atchaka.

The local auto industry employs 520,000 workers involved in everything from parts manufacture to final assembly.

In the first four months of this year, Thailand produced and sold 550,000 vehicles - 55% were slated for domestic sales and 45% for export.

Dr Atchaka said 132 automotive projects worth a combined 34.5 billion baht applied for BoI privileges last year, mostly parts manufacturing.

Japanese investors accounted for the largest number of applications, followed by Americans, Germans, Australians and Singaporeans. "Last year's success could not have been achieved without cooperation from all concerned, especially the private sector," said Dr Atchaka.

She also credited policymakers with deciding against a national car policy in the past, choosing instead to promote free competition.

"Free competition directly resulted in development of the one-tonne pickup truck as the country's first signature auto product," said Dr Atchaka.

She said eco-cars, Thailand's second auto champion, is a clear example of how cooperation between government agencies can work.

"The Nissan March now runs through our streets along with the newly launched Honda Brio. Eco-cars from Mitsubishi and Suzuki will debut next year, with Toyota following later," said Dr Atchaka

She said the requirement for makers to reach annual production of 100,000 eco-cars within five years will mean at least 500,000 units eventually produced each year, making Thailand a top 10 producer.

"What will be the direction of Thailand's auto industry after the eco-car? Fuel-efficient or energy-saving models with reduce the emissions for environmental friendliness," said Dr Atchaka.

Carmakers are now developing hybrid and electric vehicles, whose popularity is expected to increase due partly to technological breakthroughs that will bring down car prices while increasing performance.

(Source: Bangkok Post, AUTOMOBILES, Thailand aims for top 10 carmaking status by 2015, 30/06/2011, Santan Santivimolnat, link) 


Auto Industry Vocabulary

vehicles - machines with an engine used to carry people or goods from place to place ยานพาหนะ

eco-cars - green vehicle, environmentally friendly vehicle, a vehicle with less harmful impact on the environment than ordinary vehicles: "Green vehicles are powered by alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies and include hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, compressed-air vehicles, hydrogen and fuel-cell vehicles, neat ethanol vehicles, flexible-fuel vehicles, natural gas vehicles, clean diesel vehicles, and some sources also include vehicles using blends of biodiesel and ethanol fuel or gasohol. Several author also include conventional motor vehicles with high fuel economy, as they consider that increasing fuel economy is the most cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector in the short run. As part of their contribution to sustainable transport, environmentally friendly vehicles reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to energy independence by reducing oil imports" (See Wikipedia)

hybrid - a mixture of different things or styles การผสมผสาน
electric vehicles - cars that only use electricity
hybrid vehicles - cars that use electricity and gas

Nissan March - "The Nissan Micra, known in Latin America and in most of Asia as the Nissan March ... is a supermini produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 1982. From 1992 until July 2010 over two million Micras were built in the UK at the NMUK plant in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear ... In Thailand, the Micra is launched at the Bangkok motor show on 26 March, priced from 375,000 baht ($11,600) to 537,000 baht. By early July 2010, the company has received about 8,000 sales order and said new buyers would have to wait for five months..." (See Wikipedia)

Honda Brio - a small cheap car first introduced at the 2010 Thailand International Motor Expo (See Wikicars)

national - for the whole country
policy - a plan of action to guide decisions and achieve outcomes (See Wikipedia)
national car policy - a government policy to develop the country's automobile industry

industrial policy - government policy to develop industries in a country, producing products either for domestic use or export (See Wikipedia)

sector - a part of the economy (public sector = government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia) ภาคเศรษฐกิจของประเทศ
private sector - all the businesses in an economy
auto sector - all the companies involved in producing vehicles and parts for vehicles

core - the most important or most basic part of something ส่วนสำคัญ
local - in this country (here: Thailand)
core local industry - one of the most important industries in the country

promote free competition - try to create an industry with companies competing against each other for market share (not just one big monopoly with the whole market)
development - the gradual growth and formation of something

producer - a company that makes (produces) products sold in markets to consumers ผู้ผลิต

efficient - producing a lot using few resources; doing a task with no waste of time, money or energy
technological breakthrough - when scientists or engineers create new important technology that does something new (that couldn't be done before)
performance - how well or badly something works (or whether an investment provides a reasonable return)

popularity - when many people like something
domestic - within the country ภายในประเทศ
domestic sales - sales of a product inside a country

models - different designs or types of a product
emissions - gases released into the air (from cars, factories, etc) การปล่อยออกมา

launched - started เริ่มต้นดำเนินการ
debut - the first of something new, the first appearance, the introduction (example: the debut performance of the young pianist)

General Vocabulary

aim (verb) - make a goal (to achieve in the future) (example: aim for being among the top ten)
status - official or legal position สถานะ สถานภาพ

targeting - making a goal to achieve in the future

annually - happening every year ทุกๆปีด
annual - happening once a year ประจำปี

X as evidenced by Y - X is true and the facts Y show it is true

summit - a high-level meeting between leaders (usually leaders of countries, but here probably CEOs of automobile companies)

cooperation - work together towards a goal ความร่วมมือกัน การทำงานร่วมกัน

concerned - worried about something มีความกังวล
all concerned - all the people, companies and other organizations who are involved in and "concerned" about some activity

credit X with Y - praises X for doing good thing Y

signature - usually a person name written in a special way, but in this case a set of markings that are different from all others ลายมือชื่อ

champion - winner of a competition or contest
clear - easy to understand

eventually - at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
expected - when people believe that some event will happen คาดว่า (จะเกิดขึ้น)