Thai Watsadu drives into fast-fit auto service

The first Auto 1 branch will be located at Thai Watsadu Pathum Thani, offering a variety of services as well as local and imported products, the company said in press release on Friday.
The company is also offering promotions and points rewards for special privileges and discounts via the Central Group’s “THE 1” card. 
The company plans to open Auto 1 outlets at all Thai Watsadu branches to serve motorists nationwide.
Suthisarn Jirathiwat, chairman of CRC Thai Watsadu Co Ltd for construction material and home decor business, said the automobile market in 2017 reached 871,650 units, while it is expected that Thai auto sales will exceed 950,000 units in 2018, an increase of 5 per cent.
He said the total registration of automobiles in Thailand (January 31, 2018) has reached 17 million (not including 20 million motorcycles). This shows the growth trend of the auto market in Thailand, and this benefits related businesses, particularly the quick service or fast-fit businesses, which reached a value of Bt34 billion last year.
“The fast-fit business has been growing alongside the automobile market, at a pace of 4-7 per cent per year,” he said. “Today more and more consumers are taking their vehicles to fast-fit services, due to the rather high servicing fee of authorised service centres, as well as lack of confidence in the capability of local garages. These are the factors that made us see that there are marketing and growth possibilities for this type of business.”
Two more Auto 1 branches are planned for this year – Bangbuathong and Bangphli. The company plans to open 40 Auto 1 branches by 2020.