Quality key to car firms
Deputy Minister of Industry Piyabooth Cholvijarn stated at the Thailand Automotive Quality Award (TAQA) ceremony yesterday that the Thai market was developing fast and that customers now needed new ways to identify good products.
The awards are selected from a survey of customers based on sales, after-sales and customer satisfaction. A total of 6,996 surveys were taken on 43 car and pickup models and 10 companies."As the Thai market develops, we cannot come and regulate every product. Rather we would like to promote companies that have achieved a certain quality. Customers now can choose products depending on these awards. A cheap product might not necessarily be a good one. If we do not promote such products, we will eventually lose good companies as they choose to invest in other countries," Piyabooth said. "After Thailand reached its one millionth unit in November, we have moved up from 14th position to seventh among the most important car exporters of the world. This has attracted Japanese companies to invest more into Thailand. Many are now making Thailand their hub for manufacturing and distribution. As a result, Thailand export figures have increased to Bt300 billion per year." Thailand is currently in second position for pickup manufacturing in the world after the US. Focus is now also being put on production of Pickup Passenger Vehicles (PPV). Other car accessories like audio systems, tyres and spare parts production are also growing rapidly. Vijo Varghese The Nation
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