Kijsetthi Mobility (Thailand) Company, the recently-appointed Thai distributor for Vietnamese commercial vehicle manufacturer Kim Long Motor, has held a ‘Grand Launch 2026’ event in Bangkok to mark Kim Long’s official entry into Thailand’s bus market.
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Kim Long has established a major commercial vehicle manufacturing hub in Vietnam’s Hue Province, with a production capacity of 50,000 vehicles per year, including a recently-opened 20,000 unit/year light commercial facility. The company now produces a broad range of commercial vehicles, including internal combustion engine (ICE) and battery-powered trucks, buses and light commercial vehicles.
Kijsetthi Mobility signed an agreement in April of this year to distribute Kim Long’s ICE and battery-powered buses, including minibuses, in Thailand. The company is understood to have committed to selling around 1,000 vehicles over an unspecified period.
Under the partnership, Kijsetthi Mobility is responsible for establishing the Kim Long bus brand in Thailand, building a network of sales partners, assessing customer operating requirements, and helping to tailor buses that meet these requirements. The company is also responsible for building an aftersales and spare-parts supply network.
Kim Long said that its partnership with Kijsetthi marks a new chapter in the company’s internationalization strategy. The company plans to gradually shift from a completely built-up (CBU) export business model to establishing local assembly in key markets, including Thailand, with the establishment of local manufacturing and supply chain capabilities.
Kim Long’s CEO, Dao Viet Anh, said at the event: “We are proud to be a pioneering enterprise bringing Vietnamese-branded commercial vehicles to Thailand. As a major automotive industrial hub in ASEAN region, Thailand is viewed as a ‘strategic gateway’ that will allow Kim Long’s ‘Made in Vietnam’ products to demonstrate their technical excellence, quality, and service standards. Together with our partner Kijsetthi, we will continue to refine our operational framework and after-sales services. The Kim Long brand aims to serve as a strong bridge, contributing positively to the economic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand.”
