BANGKOK: Car production in Thailand fell 25.48% in September from a year earlier, the Federation of Thai Industries said on Thursday.

The figure compared with August’s 20.56% year-on-year decline.

Domestic car sales dropped 37.11% to 117,000 units in September, Surapong Paisitpattanapong, a spokesman for the federation’s automotive division, told a news conference.

Start manufacturing, stop assembling

Exports were down 10.83% in September from a year earlier due to economic issues among trading partners and the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, he said.

Thailand is Southeast Asia’s biggest autos production centre and an export base for some of the world’s top carmakers, including Toyota and Honda.