Thai Customs Slap Bt50Mn Fine On 20 Grey Auto Dealers

[webfact]

Customs slap Bt50mn fine on 20 grey auto dealers

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- About 20 grey auto dealers have been found falsifying import document, according to the Customs Department which are slapping total fines of Bt50 million.

Somchai Poolsawasdi, director-general of the department, said that these importers understated freight rates or vehicle prices. They are among 60 importers, being investigated by the department for tax evasion.

The investigation followed a tip by the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission. The commission also suspected the involvement of officers and politicians in the department in forging invoices.

Somchai said that initial investigation showed no involvement of politicians.

-- The Nation 2012-09-07

[lujanit]

"The commission also suspected the involvement of officers and politicians in the department in forging invoices."

You think?????????

[asiawatcher]

Customs has to be the most crooked Govt Dept in Thailand. And of course having politicians involved in forging documents - gee! Who would have guessed - but publish their names, sack them from parliament and charge them. Pretty simple really but protection by parliamentary privilege? Who ever heard of such a stupid law, protecting criminals?

[Thai at Heart]

With the customs duties they have here for high end cars, that really is a drop in a very big ocean

[aussiebebe]

That's actually a very small fine for 20 importers - just one Ferrari could cost Bt25mn, it's just a slap on the wrist.

[Thai at Heart]

That's actually a very small fine for 20 importers - just one Ferrari could cost Bt25mn, it's just a slap on the wrist.

It is about a quarter of what they pay custom under the table s to get a single 25 million baht car through.

[longtom]

The tax loss from all these cases was estimated at 20 Billion Baht, so 50 Mio is, eh, quite remarkable,

Edited September 7, 2012 by longtom

[h90]

why only the grey auto dealers, why not the yellow or brown auto dealer?

[h90]

The tax loss from all these cases was estimated at 20 Billion Baht, so 50 Mio is, eh, quite remarkable,

maybe just a small reminder that they forgot the under table fee.

[Puyai]

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[Puyai]

"The commission also suspected the involvement of officers and politicians in the department in forging invoices."

You think?????????

yes

[stefb1964]

I hope they know the difference between a real Mercedes and a counterfeit from Ba****esh as well as with the LV handbags...

[technologybytes]

So what's new?

It's so obvious.

Loads of huge Bangkok showrooms offer genuine 3-month old import mercedes cars with next to zero mileage, for almost 2 million baht less than a Thailand model... of course the import duty has NOT been paid.

You don't need to be a mathamatical bloody genius to work that out.

I spoke to one of these dealers, very professional and friendly, and they admited they shift 70 to 80 cars a WEEK... you can bet your life they are paying enough bribes to make sure that business doesn't come to a halt!

That's just one dealer, there are tens of dealers the same size plus loads of smaller ones.

[Greenside]

If they made the person buying the car liable for the tax and let them sue the importer, the business would dry up overnight. Duh.

[drdoom6996]

Two comments. 1. The price of cars just went up. 2. Politicians aren't involved, who thinks that is a white lie?

[julemanden]

why only the grey auto dealers, why not the yellow or brown auto dealer?

Don't forget the RED ones mate!

[dude007]

Customs has to be the most crooked Govt Dept in Thailand. And of course having politicians involved in forging documents - gee! Who would have guessed - but publish their names, sack them from parliament and charge them. Pretty simple really but protection by parliamentary privilege? Who ever heard of such a stupid law, protecting criminals?

Photos of criminals (Taksin) are hanging on the wall in the office of the chief of the National Police... They are adored, honoured and almost worshipped...

[dude007]

"The commission also suspected the involvement of officers and politicians in the department in forging invoices."

You think?????????

yes

sure!

[Jim walker]

At least it’s a small start on the corruption eradication in Thailand you never know it might just stop a few politician and high ranking officers from taking that bribe or at least think about not taking that bribe.

[Samedeepwaterasyou]

Along with the real estate business, the luxury car import business, is nothing but a big laundering machine for the billlions of baths of dirty money that the Thai economy produces every year .

[aussiebebe]

Along with the real estate business, the luxury car import business, is nothing but a big laundering machine for the billlions of baths of dirty money that the Thai economy produces every year .

Yup, you're probably right. Thai customs might have slapped a fine on the grey importers, but the country itself is now on the FATF blacklist. Quite a remarkable achievement given that the likes of Cambodia and Zimbabwe only made the FATF grey-list.

[atyclb]

Customs has to be the most crooked Govt Dept in Thailand. And of course having politicians involved in forging documents - gee! Who would have guessed - but publish their names, sack them from parliament and charge them. Pretty simple really but protection by parliamentary privilege? Who ever heard of such a stupid law, protecting criminals?

Bush / Cheney were protected by "executive privilege"

[FarangTalk]

On a related note just recently several Cambodian-American gang members were busted in California smashing a multi-million Dollar car theft ring that was exporting stolen vehicles to Cambodia for resale.

On the way to Pochentong airport in Phnom Penh last week I noticed that several dealerships seemed to be emptier than usual.

[hellodolly]

Two comments. 1. The price of cars just went up. 2. Politicians aren't involved, who thinks that is a white lie?

I really like what you say in spite of the fact that TV dosen't allow me to.

[hellodolly]

Customs has to be the most crooked Govt Dept in Thailand. And of course having politicians involved in forging documents - gee! Who would have guessed - but publish their names, sack them from parliament and charge them. Pretty simple really but protection by parliamentary privilege? Who ever heard of such a stupid law, protecting criminals?

Photos of criminals (Taksin) are hanging on the wall in the office of the chief of the National Police... They are adored, honoured and almost worshipped...

I have no links or proof but I think the word almost should be removed from your post.

[Scully]

Along with the real estate business, the luxury car import business, is nothing but a big laundering machine for the billlions of baths of dirty money that the Thai economy produces every year .

Do they launder the money in all those baths?

[cup-O-coffee]

Headline translated: "If You're Not Going to Pay It Under the Table, We'll Simply Make It Official"

[h90]

"If you are not going to pay enough under the table, we make part of it official"

Of course not everything, it is a slap on the finger, they don't want to kill their golden cow, they only want to milk them more.

Headline translated: "If You're Not Going to Pay It Under the Table, We'll Simply Make It Official"

[Samedeepwaterasyou]

Along with the real estate business, the luxury car import business, is nothing but a big laundering machine for the billlions of baths of dirty money that the Thai economy produces every year .

Do they launder the money in all those baths?

Sorry for the typo .

The fact is that only in Thailand can you walk into a car dealership, put a few millions THB cash on the table, and drive away with a new car, no questions asked.

No wonder that Thailand is now on the FATF money laundering blacklist .

[technologybytes]

Along with the real estate business, the luxury car import business, is nothing but a big laundering machine for the billlions of baths of dirty money that the Thai economy produces every year .

I don't think it's much of an issue that you can buy cars for cash with no questions, after all it's not that long ago that you could do the same in the UK. It's more of an issue that you can do it with houses and condos (if you are Thai anyway).

Sorry for the typo .

The fact is that only in Thailand can you walk into a car dealership, put a few millions THB cash on the table, and drive away with a new car, no questions asked.

No wonder that Thailand is now on the FATF money laundering blacklist .