Scandal brewing as 100 of Thailand's new NGV buses are held by customs

[webfact]

Scandal brewing as 100 of Thailand's new NGV buses are held by customs

 

Picture: Thairath

 

NGV buses stuck in the port: were they made in Malaysia or China?

 

BANGKOK: -- A potential mega scandal is brewing as the chief of the  company that won a huge contract to supply eco-friendly buses to the BMTA has complained to the treasury department.

 

The first lot of 100 NGV buses in a total consignment of 489 vehicles are still parked in a lot at the Laem Chabang port as customs refuse to let them into the country amid "irregularities".

 

Customs say there are problems in the paperwork and they are investigating whether the buses were really made in Malaysia or

whether they were in fact manufactured in China, reports Thairath.

 

The container ship carrying them to Thailand originated in China and went via Malaysia.

 

Because of Asean trade agreements the difference in tax payable on the vehicles could be as much as 1.2 million baht per bus were they actually made in China.

 

Khanit Sriwachiraprapha of Bestrin Co Ltd that won the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority contract is furious that the vehicles are stuck in the port.

 

They are meant to be on the capital's roads by 21st December in a PR show that is expected to feature  Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.

 

But at the moment they are going nowhere fast.

 

Khanit said he was being charged 300,000 baht a day to park the vehicles at the port and it had cost his company 900,000 so far. In addition a second lot of 145 vehicles was due to arrive today and there was no where to park them as the lot was full with the first consignment.

 

Khanit said: "Customs have told me that they can't say what the problem is. Why can't they say?"

 

Thai Rath quoted a customs spokesman as saying that the problem has arisen because of doubt as to where the vehicles were produced and this was under investigation.

 

Source: Thairath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-12-07

[johng]

  classic

[trogers]

The irregularity is straightforward. Why would the ship that originated in China not stop and unload in Thailand before sailing on to Malaysia?

 

Perhaps bunker oil is cheaper in Malaysia?

[Freed1948]

Another example of corruption free Thailand/China??/

[jonclark]

Good on customs. 

If this is tax evasion to the tune  1.2 million x 489 then that is a lot of money missing from the state coffers. 

 

If it isn't then at least they are making sure that all irregularities are investigated and clarified before allowing entry. Actually doing their job. 

[DaveE13]

Customs doing their job. Good for them.

[Pond Life]

They may run on NGV, but you still have to grease the wheels.

[craigt3365]

5 minutes ago, DaveE13 said:

Customs doing their job. Good for them.

I can't find the article, but I'll keep trying.  Basically from an industry magazine outlining how corrupt the customs department is.  If you've ever had to deal with them, you'd understand.  No fun.

[worgeordie]

I hope they dont end up in a field somewhere, with those Fire Engines,

and left just to rot away,if they were made in Malaysia,the Customs only

has to ask where the factory is located,and send a reliable officer to check

it out.maybe too easy.

 

regards worgeordie

[Psimbo]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Someone is gonna lose mega face.

[The Old Bull]

I do not want to make a judgement but will watch how this one plays out.Either he is dodging the taxes or has run out of brown envelopes.

[fruitman]

49 minutes ago, Freed1948 said:

Another example of corruption free Thailand/China??/

 

Mr Prayuth can just call them and wave the article 44 no? The buses have to come fast, they can fight about the tax(envelopes) later.

 

And when will those 300 brand new firetrucks finally come in operation? They are almost 10 years old now..

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

They are meant to be on the capital's roads by 21st December in a PR show that is expected to feature  Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.

The PM will go to customs and add some article 44 to these babies and it will be off to the roads of Bangkok no problem. 

[Sphere]

 

[ezzra]

 

I would have liked to be a fly on the wall of this meeting room full of extra smart

people whose decided to pull a shifty on the custom by declaring Chinese busses

as Malaysians... I'm sure the customs are furious of thinking of them to be that

dumb and stupid to not notice the different.....

[trainman34014]

Customs just want their portion of the difference in duty that 'someone' is trying to avoid.  Pay the difference ans see the Buses fly !

[Sakeopete]

Hmmm I would suspect the documents in the shipment document envelope didn’t contain enough brown documents. 

[anon4637435435]

Omg when will the big wigs learn to stop trying to take a cut. This is just absolutely ridiculous. Its shameless and humiliating for the country as a whole. Self profiting/funding from do good projects should be at the very least punishable by death.

[colinneil]

The wheels on the bus go around and around, well not in this case 

It appears the paper work is not in order  I.E. envelopes are too small.

Got to find the money for new mercs somewhere.

[Briggsy]

13 minutes ago, bsdthai said:

Omg when will the big wigs learn to stop trying to take a cut. This is just absolutely ridiculous. Its shameless and humiliating for the country as a whole. Self profiting/funding from do good projects should be at the very least punishable by death.

Probably when they don't need to pay to obtain positions which control budgets.

 

You pay for the position and then you have so many years to make it back (x10).

[BlindMagician]

Customs make good money from delaying. They have the power to delay, and it's the owner who gets charged for it. Nice little scam.

That 300k per day will be spread up and down the customs hierarchy to keep all internal ducks in a neat row.

LoS

Land of scams

[sandgroper2]

1 hour ago, Freed1948 said:

Another example of corruption free Thailand/China??/

You must take your evidence that the buses were made in China to the authorities.

[electric]

I think you'll find that the busses were assembled in Malaysia using mainly Chinese components. 

 

Hence, Thai Customs now has to decide whether the busses should technically be classified as Chinese or Malaysian manufactured.

 

It does appear to be a ridiculous situation, as you'd think this aspect of the deal would've been discussed and sorted out many months ago when the contract was awarded.

[yellowboat]

7 minutes ago, sandgroper2 said:

You must take your evidence that the buses were made in China to the authorities.

Yes there must be a manufactures part number and they must be cataloged somewhere.  Sure there were factory inspection reports and other proof of origin.  Just shows how hard it can be to do business in Thailand even when you follow the rules.  Hope Mr. Khanit has actually bought the buses in Malaysia. 

[Golden Triangle]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

They are meant to be on the capital's roads by 21st December in a PR show that is expected to feature  Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.

 

 

Still got Two weeks to sort this mess out, what's the panic 

[Brer Fox]

13 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

 

 

Still got Two weeks to sort this mess out, what's the panic 

Sure. no worries. All they need is to get just one bus out for the photo shots of the PM buying the first ticket surrounded by his cronies and TV cameras.

[sandgroper2]

33 minutes ago, BlindMagician said:

Customs make good money from delaying. They have the power to delay, and it's the owner who gets charged for it. Nice little scam.

That 300k per day will be spread up and down the customs hierarchy to keep all internal ducks in a neat row.

LoS

Land of scams

From what is reported , there is nothing to substantiate your serious accusations. i sincerely hope the authorities are doing what they say they are doping and  monitoring social media. Your a fool. Why do you make things up instead of talking facts.

[sandgroper2]

25 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Yes there must be a manufactures part number and they must be cataloged somewhere.  Sure there were factory inspection reports and other proof of origin.  Just shows how hard it can be to do business in Thailand even when you follow the rules.  Hope Mr. Khanit has actually bought the buses in Malaysia. 

He didnt buy them in Malaysia, just read the posts from the knowalls.

[Reigntax]

Just take one for a 5 minute drive. If parts start falling off they were definately made in China!

[Lampang2]

I can't find the article, but I'll keep trying.  Basically from an industry magazine outlining how corrupt the customs department is.  If you've ever had to deal with them, you'd understand.  No fun.

I can confirm that.
Endlessly corrupt.
Cant say what is the problem in this case tough.