Motorcycle sales surging despite dangers on Thai roads
Despite the unusually high number of road accidents involving motorbikes in Thailand, their sale has risen exponentially in the first three months of this year.
Thosapone Dansuputra, director-general of the Department of Business Development (DBD), said on Tuesday that the sale of motorcycles from January to March this year stood at 557,843. This was 4.5 times higher than the 122,812 cars sold during the period.
Thosapone said motorcycles are being snapped up because they are convenient and easy to maintain. Also, he said, motorcycles now are being designed to meet people’s various needs like distance, traffic conditions, travel and racing. Some people also like collecting and modifying motorcycles, which has helped push up the sales, he said.
This surge in popularity is also helping the motorcycle hire-purchase business, he added.
However, Thosapone said motorcycle users should be careful on the road and always wear helmets as the highest number of road deaths in Thailand are attributed to motorcycles.
According to the Department of Land Transport, 8,751 of 17,347 road deaths last year involved motorcycles.
