The Bangkok Post quoted Mr Payungsak Chartsuthipol chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries as saying that the Thai industries sentiment index for December 2011 rose to 93.7, up from 87.5 in November 2011.

Mr Payungsak attributed the improvement to an increase in overall orders, total sales, production output and better business performance of manufacturers after the floods receded. Many factories had gradually resumed production, particularly in the automobile and auto part industries.

However, the TISI still stood below 100, showing that manufacturers' confidence was still not at good level. A number of the flooded plants could still not resume operations because repairs were not complete.

The FTI chief said that most manufacturers wanted the government to further stimulate the post flood economy, and delay its plans to increase the daily minimum wage to THB 300 and to raise the cost of energy used by the industrial sector.

Mr Surapong Paisitpattanapong, FTI's Automotive Industry Club spokesman, said car exports for December 2011 totaled 35,046 units, down by 50.66% YoY from December 2010.

Mr Surapong said that car export value over the month was THB 17.05 billion, down by 42.93% YoY. He added that in 2011, a total of 735,627 cars were exported, down by 17.89% YoY, while car export value totaled THB 343.38 billion, a decline of 15.14%.

The spokesman said that vehicle output in December 2011 was down by 27.64% YoY, but up by 319.61% MoM to 99,426 units. Domestic car sales in December 2011 totaled 54,575 units, an increase of 109% MoM but down by 40% YoY.

He added that "Car sale volume was up because almost all car makers affected by the great flood have been able to resume production and delivered ordered cars to clients."

(Sourced from www.bangkokpost.com)