Burned Out Luxury Cars A Mystery: Nakhon Ratchasima Police

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FIRE
Burned out cars a mystery: police
The Nation



NAKON RATCHASIMA: -- Officers of Provincial Police Region 3 are still looking for the owner of four luxury cars that caught fire on Wednesday in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district during transportation on a semi-trailer truck. No one has claimed ownership of the burned-out vehicles.

Altogether six cars were being transported, but only four of them burned in a mysterious fire, including a Lambogini, a Bentley, a BMW and a Mercedes Benz. The total value of the four cars is thought to be in the region of Bt100 million.

Investigations have so far not been able to link the cars to any illegal imports or tax evasions.

It was initially believed that the car owner was a wealthy person in the lower Northeast of Thailand.

Provincial Police Region 3 deputy chief Pol Col Panu Bunarasiri said yesterday that A-ngoon Jeungsaengmanee Co Ltd in Bangkok’s Min Buri district was hired to transport the cars to a gas station in Si Sa Ket. Police are investigating the scene for more clues and a possible cause of the fire. Luxury car experts were also called in to help police check the cars’ origin and whether they had been imported illegally. The Department of Revenue also sent officials to join the investigation to identify the cars’ origin.

Meanwhile, forensic expert Pol Col Seri Chanprathin led a team to inspect the burned-out cars at Nakhon Ratchasima’s Klang Dong police station yesterday and said the probe would take time as some evidence needed to be analysed in a laboratory.

In the meantime, a source reported that the six cars were suspected of carrying red licence plates (temporary plates for new cars) and fuelled by gas. The fire could have stemmed from the truck driver's spent cigarette igniting the gas, the source speculated.

In Si Sa Ket - the cars’ intended destination - a source with business connections said luxury cars were occasionally sent to the gas station in Si Sa Ket. Someone would then pick them up for registration at the provincial transport office under the category of cars reassembled with imported auto parts. The source said such cars would be seen around town for a short time, before they disappeared and another batch of luxurious cars came in.

Si Sa Ket Transport official Danai Khot-asa said that only one or two luxurious cars would apply for car registration on a monthly basis, but officials strictly checked papers so he was certain there was no corruption with luxury cars assuming other vehicle registration numbers.

Meanwhile, a source at the agency tackling illegally-imported cars said they could be second hand cars imported from another country with new installations - such as an audio and entertainment system - which could have overloaded one of the cars electrical systems and caused the fire. They may even have been imported as auto parts and then poorly assembled leading to a fire, said the source.

The Cabinet resolved last year to introduce a ministerial regulation prohibiting the use of imported auto and motorcycle parts into the Kingdom. The owner of the luxury cars might therefore be illegally attempting to avoid tax tariffs, said the source. Authorities should also look into the car insurance details because the fire might have been deliberately set to claim insurance money, said the source.


-- The Nation 2013-05-31

RELATED STORY:
Luxury Cars Worth Bt100 Million Destroyed In Semi-Trailer Fire
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/642999-luxury-cars-worth-bt100-million-destroyed-in-semi-trailer-fire/

[Thai at Heart]

They don't know.

Someone at customs does. Unless Ferrari had a factory in Thailand.

[MESmith]

MEthinks those cars were "hot"

[kotsak]

Most likely were headed for Cambodia :>

[sirchai]

n Si Sa Ket - the cars’ intended destination - a source with business connections said luxury cars were occasionally sent to the gas station in Si Sa Ket. Someone would then pick them up for registration at the provincial transport office under the category of cars reassembled with imported auto parts. The source said such cars would be seen around town for a short time, before they disappeared and another batch of luxurious cars came in..

One of my Thai relatives is the boss of the transport office in Sisaket. But he wouldn't do such things...........( hope he didn't go to our village monk yet).-

[sunholidaysun1]

CSI SISAKET, GET A GRIP . Its bloody obvious isnt it !!

[Sing_Sling]

The Cabinet resolved last year to introduce a ministerial regulation prohibiting the use of imported auto and motorcycle parts into the Kingdom

A good use of politicians' working hours . . .

. . . as for the cars . . . if the cops suspect insurance fraud then they must be registered. If they are registered it must be easy to find out who owns them.

[Thai at Heart]

You think someone just ships 100mn baht of gear around without knowing who owns it?

[junglechef]

They don't know.

Someone at customs does. Unless Ferrari had a factory in Thailand.

But Ferrari was not listed as one of the cars, guess it only looks like one

[jbrain]

Si Sa Ket Transport official Danai Khot-asa said that only one or two luxurious cars would apply for car registration on a monthly basis, but officials strictly checked papers so he was certain there was no corruption with luxury cars assuming other vehicle registration numbers.

Sure, the reason that they are transported 600 km to get registered is probably because Sisaket is the only land transportation department in Thailand.

[jbrain]

Anyone checked if the showroom onn Pattaya Sukhumvit has some empty space ?

[BuffaloRescue]

Ferarri converted to run on LPG? Sounds a bit unusual

[ratcatcher]

"In the meantime, a source reported that the six cars were suspected of carrying red licence plates (temporary plates for new cars) and fueled by gas. The fire could have stemmed from the truck driver's spent cigarette igniting the gas, the source speculated."

"Si Sa Ket Transport official Danai Khot-asa said that only one or two luxurious cars would apply for car registration on a monthly basis, but officials strictly checked papers so he was certain there was no corruption with luxury cars assuming other vehicle registration numbers."

Don't cars being transported have the battery disconnected?

The driver carrying over 100 million bahts worth of cars flicks his cigarette out of the cab window and the cars catch fire?.

Fueled by gas? LPG, CNG? Were the petrol tank caps removed?

Nobody claims the cars. The mystery deepens.

Doesn't make sense to me.

Edited May 31, 2013 by ratcatcher

[slapout]

You have a transport company hired to transport 3,000,000 us worth of vehicles cross country to a fuel pump station, a insuranse company who has insured them, a mystery fire, a unknown consignee, a unknown owner, unknown final destination, unknown orgin of vehicles, and the big concern seems to be, how the fire started?????

No wonder the authorities here have drivers to get them to work, they could not find the way if someone put up personalized traffic signs for them.

[EvilDrSomkid]

There is so much farcical speculation mentioned in the article is hard to know where to begin. I do believe the word 'gas' and 'gas station' is used in the US sense. As in gasoline.

I find it hard to believe nobody knows who owns these cars. Are they all owned by one person? Someone in Sisaket must have a lot of spare cash around.

If I may add my speculation to the TV Investigation Team, these are sneaky cars, probably owned by a local politician/policeman.

The mention that luxury cars are regularly delivered to a gas (petrol) station and then later picked up does sound a little odd.

[bigbamboo]

Considering that most luxury imported cars are owned by criminals and/or corrupt officials it shouldn't be too hard for the police to trace their source.... if they were so inclined.

[Katipo]

Considering that most luxury imported cars are owned by criminals and/or corrupt officials it shouldn't be too hard for the police to trace their source.... if they were so inclined.

Exactly. Truth is, they don't want to know who owns them. By that, I mean they know, but won't admit they know. Therefore they don't know. That's how things work over here.

[Soupdragon]

Considering that most luxury imported cars are owned by criminals and/or corrupt officials it shouldn't be too hard for the police to trace their source.... if they were so inclined.

They could also trace the funds used to buy the cars but now we are into the realms of fantasy.

[CroBiker]

No doubt cars were destined for Cambodia. During my recent trips to this country I was shocked to see so many super cars in Phnom Penh. Just go to Naga World Hotel and Casino in Phnom Penh and you will see dozens of exotic cars at hotel parking lot.

[NBD]

"Altogether six cars were being transported, but only four of them burned in a mysterious fire, including a Lambogini, a Bentley, a BMW and a Mercedes Benz."

Both the luxury car experts and the forensic experts seem to have missed the Ferrari, then.

Sad end for some beautiful cars.

Edited May 31, 2013 by NBD

[jbrain]

Considering that most luxury imported cars are owned by criminals and/or corrupt officials it shouldn't be too hard for the police to trace their source.... if they were so inclined.

They could also trace the funds used to buy the cars but now we are into the realms of fantasy.

Or they could just ask the driver where he loaded his truck

[SiniZeR]

Lamborghini also was converted to LPG to , so ..?

[bigbamboo]

No doubt cars were destined for Cambodia. During my recent trips to this country I was shocked to see so many super cars in Phnom Penh. Just go to Naga World Hotel and Casino in Phnom Penh and you will see dozens of exotic cars at hotel parking lot.

I wonder if they were a wedding present?

[thhMan]

Would it be so difficult to ask the driver where he was going, then ask at the drop off point some more information.

With logic like this, perhaps I should run for chief of police.... unless total stupidity is a job requirement!

[steelepulse]

Would it be so difficult to ask the driver where he was going, then ask at the drop off point some more information.

With logic like this, perhaps I should run for chief of police.... unless total stupidity is a job requirement!

As long as you pay your 10 million baht for the post, you're qualified!

[Sydebolle]

" The fire could have stemmed from the truck driver's spent cigarette igniting the gas, the source speculated."

So Somsak is off to prison against an inconvenience compensation (some loose change); reminds me of the little story 24 years ago when Yodsak, a pig breeder in Chiang Mai, went to the slammer for making 500 kgs of Saudi jewellery disappear and also not having paid excess luggage at the check-in at Riyadh.

Sri Sak Ket - the mother of all luxury gas-fuelled vehicles. In order that everybody comes clean I suggest that these cars were indeed locally made placebo vehicles without engines so the kiddies in Khantaralak could be taught the difference between I-tan and Italian carozze! The gas was for running the factory built-in power gizmo to run the lights of the carozza as well as amplifying the ear-shattering local yodelling.

The subject leaves everything open to imagination - as usual! I just love this country .......

[Sing_Sling]

You have a transport company hired to transport 3,000,000 us worth of vehicles cross country to a fuel pump station, a insuranse company who has insured them, a mystery fire, a unknown consignee, a unknown owner, unknown final destination, unknown orgin of vehicles, and the big concern seems to be, how the fire started?????

No wonder the authorities here have drivers to get them to work, they could not find the way if someone put up personalized traffic signs for them.

It's too difficult starting a flood so fire had to suffice

Would it be so difficult to ask the driver where he was going, then ask at the drop off point some more information.

With logic like this, perhaps I should run for chief of police.... unless total stupidity is a job requirement!

You know it is . . .

[mr_lob]

Foreign cars coming to Thailand and causing trouble. They should all be fined, made to pay tea money and be sent on their way.

How could this mess be a Thai's fault?

[Chao Lao Beach]

Meanwhile, a source at the agency tackling illegally-imported cars said they could be second hand cars imported from another country with new installations - such as an audio and entertainment system - which could have overloaded one of the cars electrical systems and caused the fire.

While they were off and sitting on a truck !!!!

[kotsak]

The parties involved have been caught with their pants down and now they come up with all kinds of BS to cover thing up..