Thailand has earned about Bt139.5 billion (US$4.3988535 billion) from the export of fully assembled cars, motorcycles and parts during the first quarter of 2008, an official said Monday.

Surapong Paisitpatnapong, spokesman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) Automotive Industry Club, said that the value of exports jumped 33.66 per cent from the comparable period of 2007.

During the first quarter this year, the country produced 365,623 cars, up 24.52 per cent from the corresponding period of last year, said Mr Surapong. Car exports during the first three months this year totaled 197,550 units, up 27. 85 per cent from a year ago, while the country earned about Bt88.9 billion, an increase of 29.88 per cent, he said.

The total production of motorcycles during the first quarter of this year stood at 798,694 units, down 1.47 per cent from a year ago, he said.