DSI chief meets luxury auto firms
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief, Tarit Pengdit, yesterday summoned representatives of 10 luxury auto companies to discuss the problem of tax evasion in an attempt to understand and solve the problem of luxury-auto-related tax evasion.

Firms attending the meeting included the makers of brands like BMW, Mercedes Benz, Toyota and Nissan.

The DSI has set up a procedure to check 548 reassembled luxury vehicles.

Meanwhile, Mercedes Benz's representatives told the DSI that their cars are extensively marked and registered through an elaborate computer system thus reducing the risk of such cheating. This also makes available information on the exact number of imported vehicles.

Tarit said all steps in importing cars must be reviewed and that includes checking the sources of auto parts that are imported to be reassembled in the country and how each vehicle is being registered.

He said the DSI would initially give the benefit of the doubt to the buyers of reassembled cars on which taxes were not paid, and on Tuesday report themselves and have their vehicles checked to see whether they were a tax-evading reassembled car or not.

Mercedes Benz Thailand said Tarit had checked relevant information with its parent company in Germany to find out if there exists any irregularity. They have expressed confidence that they would be able to determine whether some cars were reassembled here illegally in Thailand to avoid tax or not. The company said its auto engines are all registered.

Varos Thamwiwat, the legal importer of Ferraris to Thailand, said the registered numbers of the shell and its engines and even its gearbox can be verified to determine if they match or not. If they match, then the car has been imported as a whole and not reassembled, said Varos. He added that the Ferraris sold by his firm, Cavallino, are priced at Bt20 million to Bt31 million and all paid an import tax of 328 per cent.

Tarit said he had assigned his deputy, Wannapong Kotcharak, to find the money trail of the six reassembled luxury cars that caught fire while being transported. The hunt for Natee Riwthong, the driver of the truck carrying the six cars, is likely to end with his arrest soon

-- The Nation 2013-06-16

A cynic, and I plead guilty, can be forgiven for thinking the DSI really don't want this case to go anywhere.

They are, as instructed, giving all involved " help " starting with a " name your interview date " facility and now the owners of reassembled cars are to be given the benefit of the doubt.over unpaid taxes. They can roll up and have their cars checked to see if tax has been evaded or not..

If the answer is Yes will they simply be allowed to pay the tax with no action for any deliberate acts of evasion ? Just as easily for all concerned the cars will " pass inspection " but either way the case can be wrapped up and forgotten.

This will let Tarit and his men get back to the important task of finding more charges against Abhisit and Suthep.

Learn about smuggling.

Isn't that caused at customs?

If I am not mistaken the resale activity voids warranties and is also contrary to several of the vehicle dealership concession agreements. Thai dealers most certainly do not want the foreign sourced vehicles entering Thailand as it cuts into their profits.

328% import tax!!!! Fail to understand why that sort of rate exists. Not as though Thailand has a supercar industry of it's own that it needs to protect.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thais scuffling about attempting to "shift" focus on to MB engineers and wholesalers. Ferrari in the news again in Thailand and Cavallino Motors their sole importer. Cavallino is coincidently co-owned by the owner of Red Bull.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief, Tarit Pengdit, yesterday summoned representatives of 10 luxury auto companies to discuss the problem of tax evasion and they managed to sell him a very cheap, locally assembled with LPG Lamborghini...

If you disassemble a car, import it and reassemble, why would the chassis, engine and gearbox numbers NOT match?

Clever of Tharit to use this sensitive time to shop around for the best discount.

'BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief, Tarit Pengdit, yesterday summoned representatives of 10 luxury auto companies to discuss the problem of tax evasion in an attempt to understand and solve the problem of luxury-auto-related tax evasion.'

LOL, if they actually set a sensible import tax then people wouldn't try to smuggle and they would probably gain more tax income. The UK is a good example of this with the high cigarette tax encouraging smuggling.

'BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief, Tarit Pengdit, yesterday summoned representatives of 10 luxury auto companies to discuss the problem of tax evasion in an attempt to understand and solve the problem of luxury-auto-related tax evasion.'

LOL, if they actually set a sensible import tax then people wouldn't try to smuggle and they would probably gain more tax income. The UK is a good example of this with the high cigarette tax encouraging smuggling.

In a way these weren't really smuggled though, they were allowed to enter untaxed.

This is why I don't understand why as yet customs hasn't been turned inside out.

'BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief, Tarit Pengdit, yesterday summoned representatives of 10 luxury auto companies to discuss the problem of tax evasion in an attempt to understand and solve the problem of luxury-auto-related tax evasion.'

LOL, if they actually set a sensible import tax then people wouldn't try to smuggle and they would probably gain more tax income. The UK is a good example of this with the high cigarette tax encouraging smuggling.

I was going to ask whether criminals should be allowed to set government policy, then realised that TIT, and they do.

Methinks that Tarit is using this current gambit to deflect attention away from his past deeds and the current calls for him to be removed from his position as D.S.I. head.

The characters who operate these grey import companies are all under powerful patronage both politically and socially, remember the customs department private retirement fund is indeed a wealthy one due to the ''commissions'' received on numerous assorted transactions.

Do we really think that honesty will actually come to the forefront, indeed honesty is a concept that is alien to these characters on all sides of the fence.

As i see it, they use the same holes in the laws here as they once did in Europe, who can blame them when the taxes on those cars are as high as they are.... I can't see them doing anything illegal, only see them using the set of Rules there are available here to the full extent,m who wouldn't want to save as much money on a car as one could?....

[From OP]

Tarit said he had assigned his deputy, Wannapong Kotcharak, to find the money trail of the six reassembled luxury cars that caught fire while being transported. The hunt for Natee Riwthong, the driver of the truck carrying the six cars, is likely to end with his arrest soon

I know I am just a stupid farang.

But for the life of me I cannot understand why they want to arrest the driver. What the **** has he done wrong? He must drive a truck carrying whatever his boss tells him to carry or he has no job.

I'm damn sure that he can't afford a supercar even an untaxed one, so the six on his trailer did not belong to him.

Surely the ONLY criminals are those who imported the cars and those "dirty" officials who allowed them into the country and not some poor working class guy.

Time for Khun Tarit to get real (ha-bloody-ha), not protect his "pals" and "tea suppliers", but of course that will never happen in TH.

Same same hitting street level drug dealers .... and getting rich from the big bosses who buy the tea and get immunity to supply the small time dealers.

Thais scuffling about attempting to "shift" focus on to MB engineers and wholesalers. Ferrari in the news again in Thailand and Cavallino Motors their sole importer. Cavallino is coincidently co-owned by the owner of Red Bull.

Why the attack again on Ferrari? Ferrari is just one of a number of brands that have been mentioned and is no more "in the news again" than BMW, Bentley or Mercedes.

What is the relevance to this thread of your observation that Ferrari is co-owned by Bed Bull? Muck-raking?

As i see it, they use the same holes in the laws here as they once did in Europe, who can blame them when the taxes on those cars are as high as they are.... I can't see them doing anything illegal, only see them using the set of Rules there are available here to the full extent,m who wouldn't want to save as much money on a car as one could?....

The point is that some of these importers are not exploiting loop holes in the law but breaking the rules by stating that they are importing parts and reassembling them to avoid the high taxes when they are actually importing fully assembled vehicles. Completely illegal.

If you disassemble a car, import it and reassemble, why would the chassis, engine and gearbox numbers NOT match?

Clever of Tharit to use this sensitive time to shop around for the best discount.

You read my mind!

If you disassemble a car, import it and reassemble, why would the chassis, engine and gearbox numbers NOT match?

Clever of Tharit to use this sensitive time to shop around for the best discount.

You know if you disassemble a car you cant reassemble it again without changing the numbers first every disillusioned person knows this to be true...then they wake up with their thumb up the arse...

If you disassemble a car, import it and reassemble, why would the chassis, engine and gearbox numbers NOT match?

Clever of Tharit to use this sensitive time to shop around for the best discount.

You know if you disassemble a car you cant reassemble it again without changing the numbers first every disillusioned person knows this to be true...then they wake up with their thumb up the arse...

I suppose it is theoretically possible that someone rang around the auto wreckers until he found a V12 Ferrari motor, and then did the same until he found a gearbox, but the MOST LIKELY place to find a gearbox would be the same place he found the engine.

If we take it for granted that the re-assembly is merely a tax dodge, k.Varos sounds like an idiot.

Thailand exports over a million cars a year to countries that don't impose the ridiculous rates of tax that are

levied here. You cannot expect to export freely whilst effectively closing your own market. Europe should impose

taxes of 350% on Thai exports into the EU, meanwhile the smugglers are making millions per vehicle providing plenty

of finance to fund the necessary paperwork.

Thailand exports over a million cars a year to countries that don't impose the ridiculous rates of tax that are

levied here. You cannot expect to export freely whilst effectively closing your own market. Europe should impose

taxes of 350% on Thai exports into the EU, meanwhile the smugglers are making millions per vehicle providing plenty

of finance to fund the necessary paperwork.

Agreed. While they are at it, prohibit Thais and Thai companies from owning land, and give them one month to sell any holdings.

sandrabbit +1

328% import tax!!!! Fail to understand why that sort of rate exists. Not as though Thailand has a supercar industry of it's own that it needs to protect.

The intention most probably was to create a lucrative grey market that a handful of "entrepreneurs" could milk with backhanders going up to the top.

thailand should reduce Tax to 15% on imported cars ,they would be the winners

"Problem solved." said Tarit, from the window of his shiny new Benz.

Thais scuffling about attempting to "shift" focus on to MB engineers and wholesalers. Ferrari in the news again in Thailand and Cavallino Motors their sole importer. Cavallino is coincidently co-owned by the owner of Red Bull.

Why the attack again on Ferrari? Ferrari is just one of a number of brands that have been mentioned and is no more "in the news again" than BMW, Bentley or Mercedes.

What is the relevance to this thread of your observation that Ferrari is co-owned by Bed Bull? Muck-raking?

ferrair make lot noise

If you disassemble a car, import it and reassemble, why would the chassis, engine and gearbox numbers NOT match?

Clever of Tharit to use this sensitive time to shop around for the best discount.

You read my mind!

Surely you could disassemble more than one car then import them as auto parts. When they get here you reassemble them but not with matching parts. That way they all have non matching numbers so can be claimed to be reassembled.

Either I'm misunderstanding something or someone is pretty stupid as I worked this out in about 30 seconds.

DSI ready for inspection of suspect luxury cars later this month
By Digital Media

BANGKOK, June 16 –The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will begin a comprehensive inspection of luxury cars on a suspected list for tax evasion on June 24.

DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit said the owners of the first lot of 548 luxury cars declared as assembled in Thailand can make appointments for inspection on June 18.

The DSI has laid out systematic queuing measures. He said it will take about 1-2 hours for each car and the result will be known immediately.

If any car is found to not be assembled in Thailand as declared, it will be seized and legal action will be taken against its owner.

Regarding the investigation of six luxury cars that were damaged by fire in Nakhon Ratchasima on May 29 while being transported to Si Sa Ket for registration, the DSI chief said the Central Institute of Forensic Science of Thailand is trying to retrieve the vehicle identification numbers destroyed by the fire.

Regarding witness accounts, Ar-ngun Chuengsaengmanee, the trailer owner, implicated other suspects involved in the case besides Nathee Riewthong, who allegedly hired transportation of the six luxury cars.

However, the DSI cannot disclose more details at the moment, he said.

The DSI director general earlier said the luxury Lamborghini which was recently burnt in Nakhon Ratchasima was illegally imported and the re-assembly firm was a tiny warehouse with no declared capability to do such a sophisticated job. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-06-16

Surely ID numbers are stamped into metal and most would survive a fire.

[From OP]

Tarit said he had assigned his deputy, Wannapong Kotcharak, to find the money trail of the six reassembled luxury cars that caught fire while being transported. The hunt for Natee Riwthong, the driver of the truck carrying the six cars, is likely to end with his arrest soon

I know I am just a stupid farang.

But for the life of me I cannot understand why they want to arrest the driver. What the **** has he done wrong? He must drive a truck carrying whatever his boss tells him to carry or he has no job.

I'm dam_n sure that he can't afford a supercar even an untaxed one, so the six on his trailer did not belong to him.

Surely the ONLY criminals are those who imported the cars and those "dirty" officials who allowed them into the country and not some poor working class guy.

Time for Khun Tarit to get real (ha-bloody-ha), not protect his "pals" and "tea suppliers", but of course that will never happen in TH.

Same same hitting street level drug dealers .... and getting rich from the big bosses who buy the tea and get immunity to supply the small time dealers.

The driver is just the fall guy and highly likely the only on the be arrested. Anyone remember the toll booth guy why got 47 years in jail during that toll gate scam? No poo yai was ever arrested or named...they walked free, a little lighter in the pocket(s).