New vehicle sales in Thailand began to recover in January after a disastrous fourth quarter of 2011 when sales fell by almost 50% to 123,121 units as a result of the worst floods to hit the country in 50 years.

Sales in January increased 11.5% year on year to 76,246 units and by 37.8% compared with the previous month, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.

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Most vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers have restored production operations and have been ramping up production. Honda Motor, with its regional production plant in Ayutthaya province underwater for over a month last year, expects production operations to restart in April.

Vehicle production was down by 4% year on year in January at 140,404 units, but up by more than 41% compared with the depressed December levels. Vehicle exports were down by over 20% at 54,191 units year on year but were up by close to 55% month on month.

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