Mr Jensen (left) and Mr Krisada shake hands to seal an alliance aimed at boosting Audi car sales in Thailand.
German premium carmaker Audi AG is challenging long-time rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW in Thailand's luxury automotive market by forging a strategic alliance with Meister Technik, the local importer and distributor of Audi vehicles, and the Dutch conglomerate Pon Holdings, a global leader in mobility solutions.Meister Technik was previously largely controlled by the Lamsam family, with minority stakes held by other Thai investors. Under the new arrangement, Meister Technik has reduced its shareholding to 25%, while Pon Holdings has acquired a 75% stake.
Audi plans to act as Pon's strategic partner, supporting pricing strategies and after-sales services to strengthen competitiveness in Southeast Asia.
"This synergy strengthens our financial leverage, increases local market confidence and enhances vehicle availability in the regional premium automotive sector," said Krisada Lamsam, a supervisory board member of Meister Technik.
Thailand's luxury car market has long been dominated by Mercedes-Benz and BMW, which together hold a market share of more than 70%. Pon Holdings aims to help Audi carve out a larger share of this lucrative segment.
