Thailand Automotive Institute (TAI) in collaboration with RX Tradex is driving forward to transform the automobile industry in tackling the massive transformation towards innovative automobiles for sustainability, following the emerging growth trend seen by over 100,000 EV registrations in Thailand. Hosting as the exchange stage for new technology learning and automobile updates, the annual “Automotive Summit 2024” will be held during 19-20 June 2024 alongside the “Automotive Manufacturing” forum, part of the “Manufacturing Expo” hosted from 19-22 June 2024 at Bitec.
Dr. Kriengsak Wongpromrat, President, stated, “The overall automobile industry outlook in 2023 saw growth totalling 3 trillion baht, equivalent to 18% of national GDP. The ongoing automobile industry promotion supported by the government sector helps drive Thailand to achieve the status of the world’s top 10, Asia’s top 5, and rank no. 1 among ASEAN manufacturers, particularly internal combustion engine cars in which Thailand is recognised as a long-established manufacturing base. Powered by the government promotion scheme, Thailand focuses on eco-friendly internal combustion engine automobile manufacturing, which provides high fuel consumption efficiency and low decarbonisation. Thailand is set to achieve 70% of internal combustion engine automobiles and become 'the world’s last internal combustion engine manufacturing base' by 2030.”
On the export front, Thailand is accounted as a vehicle exporter in three key regions including Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East for over 70% of overall exports, contributing significant revenue for the country. In 2023, Thailand’s vehicle export value amounted to $US 19,776.19, equivalent to 688,531.24 million baht. The increasing growth expansion among auto exports in Thailand engages over 2,300 enterprises related to the entire supply chain to boost growth together.
Currently, the automobile industry in Thailand is transitioning from conventional automobile production to new automobile production, highlighting energy consumption efficiency, decarbonisation, and greenhouse gas reduction under government policies addressing and driving “clean, economy, and safe” automobile manufacturing in Thailand to foster sustainability for the automobile industry, alongside raising eco-friendly efforts and boosting the quality of life for the public.
Thailand’s EV industry measures cover promotion from manufacturing, usage, and infrastructure to support the increasing consumption, marking rapid growth among Thailand’s EV manufacturing industry. Currently, Thailand sees emerging investment and BEV manufacturing plans from over nine automobile manufacturing entities from China and Japan, including BYD, MG, Changan, NETA, GAC, and Nissan, with a manufacturing capacity totalling 596,000 vehicles per year. In Q1/2024, BEV manufacturing in Thailand recorded 2,466 cars, led by GWM, MG, and Honda, with 30 BEV HRV-en1 manufactured in January 2024.
Meanwhile, the EV market in Thailand also shows rapid growth expansion, with BEV sales in 2023 recorded at 73,568 cars, marking 694% growth. In 2024, over 19,131 BEVs have been sold. Referring to the statistical data, the accumulated electric vehicle registrations in Thailand have reached over 113,435 registered BEVs, and the growth continues to increase.
The surge in EV registrations in Thailand has heightened TAI’s awareness of sustainability development and how to advance the industry to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), following global development goals requiring all countries to work towards them together from 2016 to 2030, covering 17 sustainable development goals divided into five dimensions.
The Automotive Summit 2024 seminar, supported by the Automotive Institute and RX Tradex, aims to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by creating a balance between the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental fronts. This is the key concept of the event, themed “Future Mobility Towards Sustainability,” aiming for future mobility innovations for sustainability.
The Automotive Summit 2024 is divided into three sessions, highlighting the economy, environment, and society. The event will be joined by honourable figures from 16 leading organisations from public and private sectors in Thailand and worldwide, including UNDP, the Department of Land Transport, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, and leading international agencies overseeing testing standards from China, Korea, and Europe.
The Ministry of Industry, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Autoliv (Thailand) Co., Ltd, and many more are accredited for their tremendous support in hosting this seminar.
Varaporn Dhamcharee, CEO of RX Tradex, formerly known as Reed Tradex, ASEAN’s leading expo organiser, stated, “In June, the company sets to organise the Manufacturing Expo, featuring machinery and technology for manufacturing and support industries, comprising seven events. ‘Automotive Manufacturing’ is one of the highlights, exhibiting the most comprehensive automobile accessories in Asia.”
Automotive Manufacturing 2024 is hosted under the theme “The Transition to Future Mobility” to support car accessories entrepreneurs in keeping abreast with trends in the industry, covering electric vehicles and the supporting ecosystem, carbon footprint reduction policies, the circular economy, and frameworks to achieve SDGs, which businesses are urged to realise and adjust to maintain part of the value chain in the world’s automobile industry.
Automotive Manufacturing is set to showcase technology that supports efficiency increases, cost reductions, and environmental preservation, such as high-speed vertical machining centres, workpiece quality inspection machines, handheld workpiece measurement devices, automatic workpiece cleaning machines, energy-saving hydraulic pumps, and raw materials used to make automotive parts, such as low-carbon aluminium, to preserve the environment.
The Automotive Summit 2024 seminar is the event’s highlight, where visitors are provided with new knowledge and invited to witness machinery and technology for producing automotive parts at the event free of charge. Visitors are advised to wear appropriate dress, with no permission for sandals or shorts as the event is respected as a trade negotiation.
The seminar "Automotive Summit 2024" is scheduled between 19-20 June 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Grand Hall, 2nd floor, Room 203, BITEC Exhibition and Convention Centre. The interested public are welcome to join the seminar. Please check the schedule, seminar topics, and register to reserve seats now at www.manufacturing-expo.com, select the seminar menu. For further information, please contact 0 2686 7222 or email contactcenter@rxtradex.com.