Wearnes Volvo, a subsidiary of the Singapore-based Wearnes Automotive Group, plans to open satellite service centres in central Bangkok districts throughout this year and beyond to supplement its two major service centres in Hua Mark and Lat Phrao. The goal is to build customer loyalty for the Swedish car brand and emphasise company commitment to the local market, said Praphan Yentharua, automotive director of Wearnes Volvo in Thailand.

The new facilities will be built on plots sized from 200 square wah to one rai in areas where services are currently unavailable for Volvo customers.

Wearnes Volvo, one of three Volvo dealers in Bangkok, will spend 5-10 million baht on each satellite centre, including four to five hoists for quick maintenance and minor repairs.

This year, the company intends to build two centres in Bangkok located in either Sukhumvit, Silom, Phahon Yothin, Dao Khanong or Charan Sanitwong.

''That is our responsibility to make our customers in these particular areas happy and enjoy greater convenience from our service,'' said Mr Praphan.

Wearnes Volvo has no intention of opening large-scale showrooms and service centres in Bangkok as each facility would require a capital investment of nearly 100 million baht, a sum not justified by sagging automotive demand.

It hopes to increase car sales this year to 80% of all Volvo cars sold, up from 33% in 2008, when total sales were no more than 1,000 units.

He projected premium car sales in the Thai market of no more than 10,000 units this year, with Mercedes-Benz and BMW being the best and second-best selling brands.

''As the biggest Volvo car retailer in Thailand ... our facilities can accommodate up to 200 cars on site and there's always the very latest in Scandinavian design and technology for customers to inspect and test drive,'' he said.