Long holidays like the Songkran festival may prompt adventure lovers and tourists to go on camping trips with their family or close friends. And motor homes and camping cars seem to offer a perfect fit.
A Volkswagen camper van. Motorhome & Camping Car currently offers four models and plans to assemble Volkswagen trailers priced around 5.5 million baht soon.
According to Somsak Siyano, managing director of Motorhome & Camping Car, a Thai-Japanese joint venture, camping trips are becoming more popular in Thailand, driven by expanded parking areas in national parks and resorts.
Currently, around 40-50 national parks and resorts in the country have set aside areas for campers.
According to Mr Somsak, each camping site has convenient facilities such as electricity, running water, bathrooms, restrooms and minimarts.
"Now, rich Thais are more interested in owning home trucks for domestic travel," said Mr Somsak. "We expect the trend to become more popular once the Asean Economic Community is fully implemented."
Founded 20 years ago, Motorhome & Camping Car sold 30 units in the domestic market and exported 400 units last year _ mainly to Japan, Germany, Australia and India. Its assembly plant is in Phanat Nikhom, Chon Buri.
The company, which displayed its latest motor homes and camping cars at the Bangkok International Motor Show which ended on Sunday, expects to sell over 40 units in the local market this year, while shipments remain unchanged from last year because the strong baht has dampened exports.
Mr Somsak said sales remain far lower than the company's 1,200-unit annual capacity. Potential buyers of home vehicles are still limited to high-income people.
Motorhome & Camping Car offers four models, two of which are assembled from pickup trucks, one from a light-duty truck and the other from a home trailer.
This year the company plans to introduce home trucks which are assembled from Volkswagen, Ford and Chevrolet.
It plans to assemble Volkswagen trailers priced around 5.5 million baht.
"Western pickup trucks will help us reach other groups of high-income earners who have brand royalty," Mr Somsak said.