Thailand’s Manufacturing Production Index (MPI) in February slid 4.4% year-on-year, falling for the 11th consecutive month, while capacity utilisation dropped to the lowest point in 12 months.
The Office of Industrial Economics (OIE) said the index stood at 166.48 points in February, down from 174.17 in February of 2013.
OIE director-general Somchai Harnhirun said capacity utilisation in the month was at 59.18%, the lowest in 12 months, due to a decline in automobile production, hard disk drives, petroleum products, electrical appliances, canned and frozen seafood.
Output was also affected by lower domestic consumption and confidence in light of endless political protests, as well as declining household incomes.
The automobile sector shrank in February compared with a year ago, when manufacturers were running flat-out to fill orders placed under the first-car tax incentive programme. Electronic and electrical goods output also declined by 1.03% in the month.
One sector that did well in February was food, with 9.5% growth from previous year despite a 6% fall in exports.