Last updated on May 6th, 2021 at 08:41 am
Buyers flocked to Chevrolet showrooms on Wednesday to snap up models sold at discount prices after General Motors decided to withdraw from Thailand by the end of the year.
Outlets selling the iconic American brand were thronged by potential buyers on Wednesday after the sale began — with some models going for less than half price. The new Captiva 1.5 LS Turbo, for instance, was offered at 499,000 baht — down from 999,000 baht. The price of the Colorado Trailboss MT 2WD was reduced from 859,000 baht to 655,000 baht. The Captiva SUV is one of the best-selling Chevrolet models in the country.
Surat Chunaka, a sales manager at a dealer in Pattaya, said he was no longer accepting orders for the Captiva. But other models were available, he said, adding the showroom sold more than 100 cars on Wedneday to both Thai and foreign customers. Buyers have to make a deposit to reserve a car and then pay the balance on the day of delivery.
The sales campaign follows the decision by GM to stop selling Chevy in Thailand and sell its Rayong factory to the Chinese automaker Great Wall by the end of this year. About 1,500 workers will be unemployed after the American company closes down its Thai operations, along with those in Australia and New Zealand. GM Thailand posted a message on its Facebook account saying services would continue as usual for the time being, without specifying when they would cease.
Titikorn Lertsirirungsun, manager for Southeast Asia at research firm LMC Automotive, has said GM would provide maintenance services for local Chevrolet owners for the next 5-10 years, depending on the stock of spare parts.
