New cars are lined up for export at Laem Chabang deep-sea port in Chon Buri province. (Photo:bangkokpost.com/VNA)   

NDO/VNA - The Thai automotive industry expects to manufacture 1.8 million vehicles this year, including one million for export, as market demand continues to improve.

According to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), auto production grew 18 percent in 2021 from a year earlier to 1,685,706 vehicles. Exports also rose 30 percent to 561.1 million THB (17.1 million USD).

December saw exports rise to a nine-month high of 101,307 vehicles, up 2.5 percent from November and 48 percent from the same period a year earlier.

The FTI said the vehicle exports to Australia and Oceania rose by 102 percent, to Europe by 65 percent and to Central and South America by 122 percent.

It forecast the situation will continue to improve this year, with Thailand producing 1 million vehicles for the overseas market and 800,000 for domestic sales.

Noriaki Yamashita, President of Toyota Motor Thailand, was quoted by local media as saying that the COVID-19 crisis would continue to affect the Thai economy, but the auto industry would improve gradually in line with overall economic conditions.

He said domestic sales are expected to increase to 860,000 vehicles this year, up 13.3 percent against last year’s figure.