Tan Chong to import vehicles from China
Singapore-based Tan Chong Inter-national plans to capture more of the vehicle market in Thailand by launching two automotive brands this year imported from China. Under the group's expansion plan, five Tan Chong Auto Hubs, which are car service centres f
Glenn Tan, chief executive officer of Motor Image Group in Singapore, said yesterday that two companies had been set up to market the two brands in Thailand.
The Foton commercial vehicles will be unwrapped today, while the Changan passenger cars, small trucks and minivans |will be unveiled in November. All models of both brands are able to run on natural gas for vehicles.
Changan has been growing fast in |China since its establishment in 1984. It |now ranks as that country’s third-biggest |carmaker.
Tan, who is also executive director of Tan Chong International, said the group’s business in Thailand was booming with many brands such as Subaru, Fuso trucks and MAN high-end trucks.
The group also invested US$10 million (Bt310 million) to upgrade its Fuso truck-assembly plant in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district. The output is mainly for the domestic market.
The plant might be expanded to facilitate its plan to produce passenger cars in the near future.
The group has earmarked more than $50 million for Thailand, of which part will be for opening more showrooms and service centres in Bangkok to serve the customers of all its car brands.
