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Visas, taxes tangle up superyacht charter licence


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Visas, taxes tangle up superyacht charter licence

Chutharat Plerin

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Mr Somchai explains what snags have occurred in the superyacht charter package at the Thailand Yachting Forum at the Indigo Pearl. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: There will be further delays in Thailand rolling out the highly-anticipated foreign-flagged superyacht charter licence, industry representatives were told at at Thailand Yacht Show forum on Wednesday.

Though the regulations and rules with regards to the actual superyacht charter licence were hammered out on August 10, a number of related issues remain as hurdles for superyacht owners, explained Somchai Sumanuskajonkul, a deputy director-general for the Thailand Marine Department.

“The two major remaining issues deal directly with immigration law and value-added tax [VAT],” said Mr Somchai. “The relevant government agencies are working to create one-year-permission-to-stay approvals for superyacht crew members – linking their stays in the country with the ship’s stay. Additionally, progress is being made to create a VAT exception for superyachts.”

The immigration issues are awaiting final approval by the Immigration Bureau commissioner, while the VAT exception needs to be enacted by royal decree, Mr Somchai said.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Visas-taxes-tangle-superyacht-charter-licence/63133?desktopversion

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-- Phuket Gazette 2016-01-13

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If they allow it, I wonder how long before these super yachts head straight for international waters, and then out come the card tables and the croupiers. smile.png

The big cruise ships out of Singapore do the casino thing already. Before Singapore eased the gambling regulations a few years ago many Singaporean Chinese took these cruises just to gamble, many with complementary accomodation. Years ago we took one of these cruises and were facinated watching the gamplers, wich ceasd one hour out from Thailand.

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If they allow it, I wonder how long before these super yachts head straight for international waters, and then out come the card tables and the croupiers. smile.png

The big cruise ships out of Singapore do the casino thing already. Before Singapore eased the gambling regulations a few years ago many Singaporean Chinese took these cruises just to gamble, many with complementary accomodation. Years ago we took one of these cruises and were facinated watching the gamplers, wich ceasd one hour out from Thailand.

Yes, but these could possibly be floating day / night trip casinos, operating out of Phuket - LEGALLY.

We can't have farang making all that money and not paying any "tea money." :)

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Everybody wants there pound of flesh. How can I benefit. tongue.png

The Thai's on Phuket do not typically want "their pound of flesh."

They want the heart and soul of the operation. smile.png

Because they are Thai and we are just visitors required to spend all our money as quickly as possible and go home to make more money to come back and spend ....

It's an attitude I hear every day while walking in the tourist areas ...

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Everybody wants there pound of flesh. How can I benefit. tongue.png

The Thai's on Phuket do not typically want "their pound of flesh."

They want the heart and soul of the operation. smile.png

Because they are Thai and we are just visitors required to spend all our money as quickly as possible and go home to make more money to come back and spend ....

It's an attitude I hear every day while walking in the tourist areas ...

Yes, that is their attitude here, and this is why they are struggling with how to extract money from these super yachts. They have not come across this before.

No hike in rent to take over the business. No music, TV, alcohol, cigarette etc licenses. No monthly visits by police for "tea money." No requirement to hire Thai staff per every foreigner work permit. No imported alcohol tax stickers to check.

These super yachts circumvent the long list of BS a foreigner must comply with to have a business here.

They are big enough to resupply and refuel in a cheaper nearby country, and cruise to Phuket to pick up passengers, and make all their money in international waters.

Basically, "zero baht super yacht charter." biggrin.png

It will be interesting what BS they come up with to try to get their cut.

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Large yachts are a popular way of laundering money. Buy them with dirty money, vendors not too keen to lose the sale and hefty commission, perhaps due diligence concerning the source is less than it might be, Tie them up in a marina for a few years, sell them at a loss - hey presto clean money.

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I was going to bring my Super Yacht to Phuket, but every time I asked for procedures they said 10! 10 What? A noodle lady

overheard me talking with the government official and she said, 10,000 baht! I said your kidding! Her English was pretty good!

She said give him 10,000 and he will take you to the next person and give him 10,000, on and on, then when you see the big man

with the big desk and all the stamps with the ink pad, give him 50,000. Then you will see him stamping all your paperwork and

then gives you all the paperwork you will need! Thainess at it's Best! Good Luck!

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Large yachts are a popular way of laundering money. Buy them with dirty money, vendors not too keen to lose the sale and hefty commission, perhaps due diligence concerning the source is less than it might be, Tie them up in a marina for a few years, sell them at a loss - hey presto clean money.

Maybe in Thailand !

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