Thaiger Talk Quiz #307 - Car Factories in Thailand

[BigHewer]

Quiz #307 - We're taking the car out for a spin in our latest quiz, with a look at Thailand's booming automobile industry, past and present. How much do you know? Test your knowledge and let us know how you get on.

And now for the answers...

[rattlesnake]

3…

Vauxhall/Pontiac/Chevrolet is Opel in France. Funny, all those market-specific name declinations.

[SnapDragon]

Never seen a Porche in Thailand. One that I recognised, as such, that is. Got that one right. Yea!

Should have got number 2 right. Thought it was a trick question, so went for 'Great Wall'; whatever that is.

Roll on the bar girl quiz.

Here's one. You take a bar-girl to the hotel room, and after the deed fall asleep. You wake up, and the lady has gone. What else is missing?

a - your m/c keys

b - smart phone

c - wallet

d - your false teeth.

And the answer is 'd' of course. What would any respectful lady do with the other three?

[BigHewer]

  On 2/18/2025 at 8:48 AM, rattlesnake said:

3…

Vauxhall/Pontiac/Chevrolet is Opel in France. Funny, all those market-specific name declinations.

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Interesting too how the same car with different names has a different image in different markets too

Opel - lower middle class family sedan in Germany

Lumina - high end family sedan in South Africa 

Commodore - rev head yobbo car in Australia

[AussieBob]

3 - missed Vauxhall and Ford being first.

Interesting and timely topic as the car manufacturing sector is currently in big decline currently and there has been no bounce back yet. Both domestic sales and exports are dropping year or year, and the future looks bleak. Recently the Govt announced cuts to taxes on HEV manufacturing in Thailand - perhaps that will encourage the manufacturers to make more here and less in Malaysia and Indonesia (maybe).

[LaPleng]

[rattlesnake]

  On 2/19/2025 at 1:43 AM, AussieBob said:

3 - missed Vauxhall and Ford being first.

Interesting and timely topic as the car manufacturing sector is currently in big decline currently and there has been no bounce back yet. Both domestic sales and exports are dropping year or year, and the future looks bleak. Recently the Govt announced cuts to taxes on HEV manufacturing in Thailand - perhaps that will encourage the manufacturers to make more here and less in Malaysia and Indonesia (maybe).

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The automotive industry used to be one of the pillars of the Thai economy, with rice, rubber and seafood. The current focus on tourism only, to the detriment of other sectors is a big mistake, in my view.

[AussieBob]

  On 2/19/2025 at 8:05 AM, rattlesnake said:

The automotive industry used to be one of the pillars of the Thai economy, with rice, rubber and seafood. The current focus on tourism only, to the detriment of other sectors is a big mistake, in my view.

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I agree 100% - plus there is a LOT of hidden costs with tourism that is not measured (social and financial). And TAT counts every arrival as a Tourist (including walk-overs at the borders) and then multiplies that number by 50K Baht - which is their claimed value of what each 'tourist' brings into Thailand. Abracadabra - TAT has brought in 30 million tourists times 50K = 1,500 Billion Baht !! (pay us lots of bonuses).  We all know that most people pay for their accommodation and flights back home, and that most Indians and backpackers are cheap Charlies, and IMO the actual value to Thailand is far less - and most of that money goes to those that run/own airlines and hotels.  The 'true' value of tourism to the ordinary people of Thailand is much less than claimed bu TAT and the true costs are not measured - same as everywhere in the world. Unlike exports of cars, farm goods, etc etc - which are real and measured correctly. There are lots of Chinese scammer gangs in Thailand/Myanmar - but they are amateurs compared to TAT.

[drchao]

interesting