Luang Phi Nam Fon says his classic Jaguar-Panther car is legal

[webfact]

Luang Phi Nam Fon says his classic Jaguar-Panther car is legal



NAKHON PATHOM: -- Phra Khru Palad Sitthiwat otherwise known as ‘Luang Phi Nam Fon’ yesterday strongly rejected a charge that a vintage car he owned evaded taxes.

The abbot of Wat Phailom temple in Nakhon Pathom province came out with his lawyer to defend himself after the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) charged that a classic convertible automobile he owned evaded taxes.

The car in question has Gor Gor 1177 license plate and the DSI claims that no taxes were paid on the vehicle.

But at yesterday’s press conference, Luang Phi Nam Fon refuted this saying that as far as he knew no laws have been broken and all taxes on the vehicle have been paid.

He said the Customs Department, the Excise Department as well as the Department of Land Transport have correctly issued the required documents to him, adding no underhand dealings were made to acquire these documents.

His lawyer, Suphapatarapoj Nittisassathorn, the attorney representing Wat Phailom temple who is also the official book-keeper with the temple, showed all the official documents at the conference and said the automobile was imported into the country in 2011 and was a donation from a disciple who was living in the US.

Another disciple living in Thailand with the assistance of a local garage made all the arrangements which included the dismantling, reassembling and registering the car as a locally assembled vehicle.

He confirmed that all taxes have been paid and defended the abbot saying Luang Phi Nam Fon had no hand in the procurement process.

As for the DSI’s allegations that the signature of the garage owner Mr Charinthorn Pathakhamin was forged in order to bring in the chassis without proper authentication, the lawyer stated that the temple has no knowledge of the forgery saying only that the chassis was purchased from Mr Charintorn.

Furthermore he went on to say that no one at the temple had any knowledge of classic automobiles and could not say if the car was known as a Jaguar-Panther or Panther–Jaguar.

He closed by saying that this was up to the Department of Land Transport to determine.

As to how the official probe is to proceed from here, the abbot stated that he would have to wait for the official notice from the DSI before deciding on the next course of action.

But he said that he had nothing to hide and was willing to cooperate with every facet of the investigation.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/luang-phi-nam-fon-says-classic-jaguar-panther-car-legal/


-- Thai PBS 2016-07-27

[Dexlowe]

".... the automobile was imported into the country in 2011 and was a donation from a disciple who was living in the US."

Strange thing to "donate".

[harada]

It looks to me that not only the rules regarding owning material possessions have fallen by the wayside here but also those regarding one or two small vegetarian meals between dawn and noon have gone the same way.

[Berty100]

Another disciple living in Thailand with the assistance of a local garage made all the arrangements which included the dismantling, reassembling and registering the car as a locally assembled vehicle.

That I haven't thought about that when I considered bringing my car over

[Hawk]

Of course its legal, Thai monks don't tell lies?

[clockman]

The customs department, second most corrupt. Never investigated? Perverted Buddhism Thai style.

[worgeordie]

" a local garage made all the arrangements which included the dismantling, reassembling and registering the car as a locally assembled vehicle."

​Does that mean the car was imported fully assembled, was then dismantled,then rebuilt as a locally made vehicle ? thereby subject to lower taxes,

surely that cannot be legal, but this is Thailand and it depends who you are,i suppose.

regards Worgeordie P.S. it is not a classic or vintage car.

Edited July 27, 2016 by worgeordie

[ThaidDown]

I'm utterly amazed that these people can act like this.

Sitting there while all these words are spouted and keeping a straight face throughout it all.

Not even an embarrassed titter, The greatest acting job ever. (or no shame).

[taichiplanet]

it may be legal, but it is in bad taste.

[Misterwhisper]

It's high time to clean out that stinking and filthy pigsty Thai Buddhism has become. But who has the will and courage to do it?

[nausea]

What the hell has a vintage car got to do with Buddhism. Please "enlighten" me.

[Saraphee]

" a local garage made all the arrangements which included the dismantling, reassembling and registering the car as a locally assembled vehicle."

​Does that mean the car was imported fully assembled, was then dismantled,then rebuilt as a locally made vehicle ? thereby subject to lower taxes,

surely that cannot be legal, but this is Thailand and it depends who you are,i suppose.

regards Worgeordie P.S. it is not a classic or vintage car.

Looks to me like a Panther J72. If so it was manufactured 1972-81 by Panther Westwinds in the UK. It used a variety of Jaguar components and several different Jag engines were offered and is exterpolaited after the ss100 Jaguar.

It is certainly not a vintage car but would be widely regarded as a classic, although the styling of the car was regarded as vulgar at the time, in common with all PWW models. It is now a rare car at that as few were ever produced, perhaps due to styling. It has never been regarded as a Jaguar per se and never so called as far as I am aware outside Thailand.

[djayz]

Let me get this straight... A MONK had a "classic Jaguar" imported?!?!?!?!

What the h*ll does he need one of those for?!?!

[smutcakes]

It's high time to clean out that stinking and filthy pigsty Thai Buddhism has become. But who has the will and courage to do it?

No one will do it as they dont want anyone looking into their own affairs. That is why they tip around issues on egg shells and never do anything concrete, just pass the buck.

[WhizBang]

It's high time to clean out that stinking and filthy pigsty Thai Buddhism has become. But who has the will and courage to do it?

No one will do it as they dont want anyone looking into their own affairs. That is why they tip around issues on egg shells and never do anything concrete, just pass the buck.

Exactly. Too many skeletons in too many closets. No one can move on anything for fear of having their own dirty laundry aired.

[Misterwhisper]

It's high time to clean out that stinking and filthy pigsty Thai Buddhism has become. But who has the will and courage to do it?

No one will do it as they dont want anyone looking into their own affairs. That is why they tip around issues on egg shells and never do anything concrete, just pass the buck.

Exactly.

[colinneil]

If everything is legal and aboveboard why is a lawyer required?

Monks are honest people That is what they want you to believe anyway.

Why does a monk who is not allowed to drive, need a car like that?

Monks are suppose to lead a frugal, non materialistic life.

[craigt3365]

How about selling it and using the money to help the many, many, many poor people here?

[Lupatria]

I hope he was driving it according the the rules: barefooted!

It's time to get rid of all these bogus monks if Buddhism should ever be considered a "religion" in this country.

If Buddha would have read last month's news about monks, abbots and temple cabals in Thailand, he would probably prefer to live the simple life of a prince again.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Lupatria

[thai3]

But what would Buddha say about it?

[saminoz]

".... the automobile was imported into the country in 2011 and was a donation from a disciple who was living in the US."

Strange thing to "donate".

Surely the donation should go to the Wat and not the Abbot?

[saminoz]

" a local garage made all the arrangements which included the dismantling, reassembling and registering the car as a locally assembled vehicle."

​Does that mean the car was imported fully assembled, was then dismantled,then rebuilt as a locally made vehicle ? thereby subject to lower taxes,

surely that cannot be legal, but this is Thailand and it depends who you are,i suppose.

regards Worgeordie P.S. it is not a classic or vintage car.

You can be sure that when they say dismantled and reassembled, they really mean they took a wheel off and then put it back on again!

[Merylhighground]

But what would Buddha say about it?

"Move over baldy, I'm driving!! let's go get us some crack cocaine and some 'hoes''?

[craigt3365]

".... the automobile was imported into the country in 2011 and was a donation from a disciple who was living in the US."

Strange thing to "donate".

Surely the donation should go to the Wat and not the Abbot?

The abbot controls the wat. So it's all his! LOL

In Nepal, they call them money monks. Just in it for the money.

[12DrinkMore]

How about selling it and using the money to help the many, many, many poor people here?

It doesn't work.

The poor have been programmed to donate what little they have to the wealthy in order to get some merit.

What is the b7lls1t about "personal gifts" anyway? Don't the donation go to the temple?

[bheard]

" a local garage made all the arrangements which included the dismantling, reassembling and registering the car as a locally assembled vehicle."

So obviously the intention was to evade paying tax. Surely this makes the defence case a nonsense?

[MobileContent]

".... the automobile was imported into the country in 2011 and was a donation from a disciple who was living in the US."

Strange thing to "donate".

Surely the donation should go to the Wat and not the Abbot?

You are spot on but sadly the abbot runs the temple and often things it is his one.

[dhream]

Dismatling and Reassembling it? It's a joke. Another MDB1 style anonymous donor? It's incredible, literally.

Mechanics who work on major reassembly projects for free?

It's good to be 'Luang' as Mel Brooks may have said.

[dhream]

How about selling it and using the money to help the many, many, many poor people here?

It doesn't work.

The poor have been programmed to donate what little they have to the wealthy in order to get some merit.

What is the b7lls1t about "personal gifts" anyway? Don't the donation go to the temple?

Just like the Vatican.

All these parasite 'faith fanbois' should pay their goddamned dues like the rest of society.

[Seismic]

".... the automobile was imported into the country in 2011 and was a donation from a disciple who was living in the US."

Strange thing to "donate".

Surely the donation should go to the Wat and not the Abbot?

You are spot on but sadly the abbot runs the temple and often things it is his one.

There is no fiscal oversight of individual temples. The donations and the use to which they are put are controlled by the Abbot.