BANGKOK, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Thailand's domestic car sales in November jumped 20.6 percent to 78,082 units compared with the same period a year earlier, helped by launches of new models, improving private investment and higher government spending, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said on Wednesday.
The FTI last month raised its 2017 domestic sales forecast to 850,000 cars from 830,000 cars, but maintained its export estimate at 1.1 million vehicles.
Annual domestic car sales declined during 2013-2016, following the end of a government car subsidy scheme in 2012, when sales surged 81 percent.
Thailand is a regional vehicle production and export base for the world's top carmakers. The auto industry accounts for about 12 percent of Thailand's economy.
Thai monthly car and truck sales from the FTI Change y/y pct Vehicles Nov +20.6 78,082 Oct +13.1 68,551 Sep +21.9 77,592 Aug +6.8 67,962 Jul +7.5 65,178 Jun +5.7 69,794 May +0.6 66,422 Apr +15.1 63,267 Mar +16.7 84,801 Feb +19.9 68,435 Jan +10.5 57,254 (Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Sunil Nair)