FAKE CAR PARTS: Autotrim director submits to probe team

BANGKOK: -- Police also give Swiss executive one week to show up for questioning over scandal. The director of an auto parts manufacturer accused of producing fake components for BMW and Mercedes-Benz cars voluntarily submitted to police questioning yesterday, a senior Department of Special Investigation (DSI) official said. Yongyuth Srisattayachon, head of the DSI’s Intellectual Property Litigation Office, said Pensri Udonchainit, director of Autotrim International Transaction Co Ltd, was not charged with a criminal offence.

He said Delfino Zapico, an executive of the company, has one week to voluntarily meet DSI investigators before he is summoned and a warrant is eventually issued for his arrest.

The Swiss national must show up for questioning as he is currently in the country, Yongyuth said. He did not say what Pensri discussed during the interview.

The authorised dealers of the German carmakers contacted the DSI to obtain information on the production of fake auto components by Autotrim in order to proceed their own legal action against the firm, Yongyoth said.

Somchai Wongsawat, permanent secretary of the Justice Ministry, instructed the DSI to find out how many road accidents involving BMW and Mercedes-Benz cars had involved faulty airbags or other safety malfunctions.

Chatwithai Tantraphorn, manager of corporate communications for DaimlerChrysler (Thailand), said he has not yet determined if authorised dealers deliberately purchased fake auto-parts from Autotrim and used them in their clients’ cars.

Wit Sitthivekhin, manager of corporate communications for BMW (Thailand), said he was also unaware of such occurrences but said he was confident that authorised BMW dealers did not collude Autotrim.

--The Nation 2005-10-08

Upseting the BMW and Merc driving population.. Theres a segment of the population you dont want to piss off...

steady on chaps!

only the thais are allowed to produce fakes here.

the swiss should stick to money laundering and making chocolate bars.

Dont forget the cuckoo clocks..

Maybe they just want to know how to produce better fakes themselves.

C

Dont forget the cuckoo clocks..

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Sorry, that's Black Forest in Germany.

i thought thats where the cakes came from !!

Yes they both do.

The cuckoo clocks were first made in the Black Forest around 1730 and the Black Forest cake (recipe can be posted if required yum! yum!) is said to have originated in the 16th century.

Interesting, are we talking 'pattern' parts which do not carry the BMW logo or 'fake' parts which do??

AFAIK Pattern parts are not illegal, they certainly are not in the UK otherwise companies like Moprod and the like would be out of business.

I got some replacement discs for my (old) 325i, far cheaper than the genuine BMW parts, they were branded 'Autotrim', fitted OK and work just fine.

Interesting, are we talking 'pattern' parts which do not carry the BMW logo or 'fake' parts which do??

AFAIK Pattern parts are not illegal, they certainly are not in the UK otherwise companies like Moprod and the like would be out of business.

I got some replacement discs for my (old) 325i, far cheaper than the genuine BMW parts, they were branded 'Autotrim', fitted OK and work just fine.

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Sounds to me a case of upsetting the wrong "Big Wig" There's a million fake parts makers here, maybe the guy's stepping on too many Thai peoples toes by offering quality products for fair prices. Locals don't like that!!!!