Carmakers act to spur flagging sales

Campaigns coincide with Motor Show

- LAMONPHET APISITNIRAN

Automakers are trying to deal with sluggish domestic car sales by cutting costs and launching new promotional campaigns which are expected to boost bookings at the Bangkok International Motor Show, which opens on March 26.

Many car brands are pinning their hopes on these campaigns as they are desperately looking for ways to simulate sales, which have continued to fall this year, said Wallop Chalermvongsavej, managing director of Hyundai Mobility Thailand, a subsidiary of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group.

Some companies are attracting prospective buyers by allowing them to pay instalments over 7-8 years without imposing interest, he said.

They manage to do so by cutting marketing expenses, including public relations spending, in order to inject more money into the sales promotion campaigns.