Floating in the sea - swanky new Bangkok buses bobbing up and down on a ship as scandal deepens

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Floating in the sea - swanky new Bangkok buses bobbing up and down on a ship as scandal deepens

Picture: Daily News

 

BANGKOK: -- Allegations are flying thick and fast as the embarrassing scandal of new eco-friendly Bangkok buses stuck at Laem Chabang port continues.

 

The latest consignment of 145 buses arrived yesterday but could not be unloaded - they are still floating in the sea on the container ship from Malaysia.

 

There is no parking space at the port because the first consignment of 99 blue buses is parked there as officials check customs documentation and refuse to allow the buses to leave.

 

The situation is a total embarrassment as the BMTA wait for delivery ahead of a big PR exercise with the prime minister in Bangkok on the 21st before the launch to the public the next day, reports Daily News.

 

Now it has even been suggested by the BMTA that scrapping the whole contract is a possibility with the Bangkok transport authority keeping a 10% deposit of the 3.39 billion baht mega-deal.

 

Yesterday the president of Bestrin Cio Ltd who won the contract to supply the buses spoke out as the scandal continued.

 

Khanit Sriwachiraprapha said that the 99 vehicles parked at the port could still not be released and 4.8 million baht might have to be paid initially as security to release them. They would need to be fitted with GPS so they could be tracked.

 

Bestrin hired another company, Supersara Company limited to bring in the vehicles and it is the customs "Form D" that is at the center of the problem. This relates to the exact origin of the vehicles.

 

Contact is underway between customs and the Malaysian departments of industry and trade to discover exactly where and what percentage of the vehicles were put together in China and Malaysia.

 

Bestrin were assured that 40% of the vehicles used Malaysian made parts, said Khanit, but if this turns out not to be the case and "Form D" documentation turns out to be falsified a further tax claim of about 586 million baht may have to be coughed up to customs.

 

Khanit said that his company were prepared to pay according to the law but would sue the Malaysian factory who assembled the vehicles for the money. The buses were put together by R and A Commercial Vehicles Sdn Bhd in Malaysia.

 

The Malaysian company would be charged with providing false information and documentation, he said.

 

There is a big difference in the tax due, some 40%, because of Asean trade agreements with Malaysia.

 

Khanit stressed that his company won the contract with BMTA to supply the buses but were not the makers of the vehicles.

 

And in a latest development yesterday Surachai Iamwachirasakul of the BMTA said that according to the contract 489 vehicles must all be delivered by the 29th of this month. 

 

If this is not done the BMTA can get compensation of 17,000 baht per vehicle and have the right to scrap the deal altogether and keep a 330 million baht security deposit lodged with a bank.

 

This represents 10% of the deal that is 3.389 billion baht.

 

A news conference organized by Bestrin Co Ltd is expected at 2pm today.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-12-08

[cyberholz]

Fire truck saga all over again.

[worgeordie]

Looks like the buses were shipped to Malaysia,to have a few bits bolted on,

then re exported to Thailand and declared made in Malaysia,to pay less tax

and duties,looks like the plan has back fired,badly.

regards worgeordie

[Changwatchap]

Nice to see that customs are equally dicks to all, and not just foreigners. 

[PatOngo]

Let's see how they squirm their way out of this.........great damage to the national reputation.

[Lammbock]

And in the meantime speeding Somchais still behind the wheel of "in scrapyard conditioned Bangkok Buses"

Well done

[metisdead]

An off topic trolling post has been removed. 

[Bluespunk]

26 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Looks like the buses were shipped to Malaysia,to have a few bits bolted on,

then re exported to Thailand and declared made in Malaysia,to pay less tax

and duties,looks like the plan has back fired,badly.

regards worgeordie

If you are correct, that is a way more succinct explanation of this story than the article. 

[JoePai]

Simple - double park (but leave the handbrakes off)   

[waldroj]

"...Floating in the sea - swanky new Bangkok buses bobbing up and down on a ship as scandal deepens..."

 

Before it deepens any further, BMTA should simply pocket the ฿330 million security deposit and the buses thrown into the sea and create an artificial reef.

 

Seems an appropriate outcome for a "bottom of the harbour" scheme !!!

 

[George Graham]

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

Let's see how they squirm their way out of this.........great damage to the national reputation.

Have to disagree with you on this. I would say that Thailand is living up to it's reputation.

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

When it comes to any big purchase like this, the bureaucrats just can't help themselves - apparently graft and corruption is just in their nature or so it seems..  

[Brer Fox]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Let's see how they squirm their way out of this.........great damage to the national reputation.

Many faces will be lost over this.

[PatOngo]

1 minute ago, Brer Fox said:

Many faces will be lost over this.

 

Faces lost but no shame.

[Brer Fox]

2 hours ago, Lammbock said:

And in the meantime speeding Somchais still behind the wheel of "in scrapyard conditioned Bangkok Buses"

Well done

Yes you are quite right. Swanky new buses but driven by the same scruffy lunatic cowboys who fancy themselves as Formula 1 drivers. 

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, Bobobirdiebuddy said:

When it comes to any big purchase like this, the bureaucrats just can't help themselves - apparently graft and corruption is just in their nature or so it seems..  

Do you mean that the entry fee for the buses has been slow in forthcoming?? It sure looks like a super payday in the making. 

[Brer Fox]

3 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

 

Faces lost but no shame.

Yes there will be shame lost. Shame for themselves that their scam didn't come off and they stand to lose a small fortune.

[HarrySeaman]

10 minutes ago, Brer Fox said:

Yes you are quite right. Swanky new buses but driven by the same scruffy lunatic cowboys who fancy themselves as Formula 1 drivers. 

Please don't malign F1 drivers.  They do their best to avoid collisions because they know how fragile their cars are.

 

Thai bus drivers are more like Nascar drivers.

[Kawapete]

Its hard to know if the Thais knew but if the Malay Company have supplied "form D" and can't comply the custom Duty problem is actually not created on the Thai side of the border

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, Changwatchap said:

Nice to see that customs are equally dicks to all, and not just foreigners. 

Just doing their job as it should be done

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Let's see how they squirm their way out of this.........great damage to the national reputation.

Which Nation ? It would seem that the Malaysian firm is at fault if it just screwed on a few parts and said made in Malaysia

[tompelli]

SunLong buses made in PRC, just buy them there? Too easy or not a big enough envelope?

[seancbk]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Looks like the buses were shipped to Malaysia,to have a few bits bolted on,

then re exported to Thailand and declared made in Malaysia,to pay less tax

and duties,looks like the plan has back fired,badly.

regards worgeordie

They should be tax exempt.   They are being brought in to benefit the citizens of Bangkok.
 

[choff56]

11 minutes ago, seancbk said:

They should be tax exempt.   They are being brought in to benefit the citizens of Bangkok.
 

Yes, just like child car seats, dream on.

[eddie61]

Funny little people, all of them probably crooks, trying to get their snout in the trough.

Hilarious!!!

[peterrabbit]

Lesson to all Asean companies thinking of supplying goods to Thai Government controlled entities:-    DON'T !

[TheFishman1]

Corruption at its best TIT

[Lammbock]

1 hour ago, Brer Fox said:

Yes you are quite right. Swanky new buses but driven by the same scruffy lunatic cowboys who fancy themselves as Formula 1 drivers. 

I was hoping they also import new drivers

[Lannig]

12 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

Corruption at its best TIT

Agreed, most likely all parties involved were quite aware of every bit in the deal, including the most fishy parts like the busses being actually made in the PRC and just transiting through MY. But someone didn't get his share and decided to let the crap hit the fan as a revenge.

[NextStationBangkok]

This imported for the benefit of public services, should be exempted from Tax.

 

They should catch millions of iPhones sold in Thailand based on US trade agreement, but made in China, if they are brave enough.