Thai Customs say Bestrin Group admits the first 100 NGV buses originated from China

[webfact]

Customs say Bestrin Group admits the first 100 NGV buses originated from China

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Bestrin Group, the successful bidder to supply a fleet of 489 NGV buses to Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, has admitted that the first lot of 100 buses which are held up at Laem Chabang deep-sea port were imported from China and not assembled in Malaysia as earlier claimed by the company, said Customs Department chief Kulit Sombatsiri on Tuesday.

 

As such, he said that Bestrin Group must be charged 40 percent import tax for the 100 NGV buses, amounting to 2.95 million baht for each bus. On top of that, he added that the company would be fined twice the amount of tax.

 

Unless the tax and fines are paid, the first 100 buses will be held up at the port, said the minister.

 

For the remaining 389 buses, Bestrin Group has not yet applied for taxation and, therefore, the group has not been faulted with tax evasion because it has not yet applied for taxation.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/customs-say-bestrin-group-admits-first-100-ngv-buses-originated-china/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-12-14

[barrywhite]

Wow, the incredibly  corrupt,charging the equally corrupt.

Edited December 13, 2016 by barrywhite

[NongKhaiKid]

What's worse, having to pay all that tax and the fines or losing face having been caught lying ?

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Must be a first - a Thai admitting to wrongdoings. Did the manager of Bestrin Group not read the Thainess 101 book? 

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

For the remaining 389 buses, Bestrin Group has not yet applied for taxation and, therefore, the group has not been faulted with tax evasion because it has not yet applied for taxation.

 

Is not, not applying by definition of not applying, not evasion or not? 

Edited December 13, 2016 by Bluespunk

[Bluespunk]

"Deputy Transport Minister Omsin Chivapruek, meanwhile, said that the case would be settled if Bestrin Group paid up 718 million baht for the import of the 489 buses plus 230 million baht in fines for the first 100 buses imported." 

 

Someone's Christmas just got very merry. 

 

Ho, Ho, Ho. 

[PatOngo]

3 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

"Deputy Transport Minister Omsin Chivapruek, meanwhile, said that the case would be settled if Bestrin Group paid up 718 million baht for the import of the 489 buses plus 230 million baht in fines for the first 100 buses imported." 

 

Someone's Christmas just got very merry. 

 

Ho, Ho, Ho. 

 

.....and then there's the parking bill at Laem Chabang........this will not turn out pretty. Look for an increase in bus fares.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

So only 100 new NGV busses for Bangkok than

[DrTuner]

23 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Must be a first - a Thai admitting to wrongdoings. Did the manager of Bestrin Group not read the Thainess 101 book? 

Malaysians no undastaan Thainess.

Edited December 13, 2016 by DrTuner
Too early in the morning

[PatOngo]

4 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Malaysians no undastaan Thainess.

 

Does anyone?

[trogers]

Wow! And all that trouble to ship via Malaysia... even had some shipping experts on TV believing them!

 

What about those documents signed by a Malaysian ministry? Looks like Thainess and Malaysian-ness are getting closer...

Edited December 13, 2016 by trogers

[rkidlad]

Who was it who said we should wait and see before passing any judgement? 

 

If a person or company, etc, has a bad reputation, why wouldn't you assume they're up to no good when stories like this come out? 

 

Anywho, keep thinking happy thoughts! Who cares if people are lying, cheating and stealing? Happens in other countries too, right? Let everyone else eat cake. 

[colinneil]

Well i never !!! What about all those TV members slagging off the customs officials ??/

Customs were only doing their job, and for once doing it correctly.

[kannot]

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

"Deputy Transport Minister Omsin Chivapruek, meanwhile, said that the case would be settled if Bestrin Group paid up 718 million baht for the import of the 489 buses plus 230 million baht in fines for the first 100 buses imported." 

 

Someone's Christmas just got very merry. 

 

Ho, Ho, Ho. 

More  like Bangkok will never  see those  buses.................why the hell the govt didnt buy direct from China baffles   me.............well not really as  theres  a useful  opportunity for  creaming  off

[trogers]

1 minute ago, kannot said:

More  like Bangkok will never  see those  buses.................why the hell the govt didnt buy direct from China baffles   me.............well not really as  theres  a useful  opportunity for  creaming  off

 

What makes you think there is no cream through direct purchase?

[yankee99]

Interesting 

when i got fined at laem chabang it was the duty x 2 so in their case it should be 80%

[edwinchester]

No wonder Scania and Volvo had to pull out of the bidding process, no way to compete with this level of deception.

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

 

.....and then there's the parking bill at Laem Chabang........this will not turn out pretty. Look for an increase in bus fares.

 

They won this deal by a bidding, so i guess they just have to deliver for the price they won the bidding with.

 

Also they have to pay that ship which is waiting to unload the other buses at the port.

 

But Thailand has 13 billion  baht to order 3000 buses i read somewhere, guess they won't come from this supplier.

[fruitman]

So how does a biddin for buses go in Thailand?

 

The BMTA sais we need 500 (to start with) new buses, please place your bids.

 

Is that biddingprice the companies give for delivering them at the BMTA busparkinglot included EVERYTHING (so also importtax)??

 

In that case if the Volvo/Scania or Toyota buses were imported would they have to pay the 100% importtax because from another continent?

[Don Mega]

40% is 2.95 million, they are expensive busses !!

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

4 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

40% is 2.95 million, they are expensive busses !!

Not if you subtract the 30% tea money.

[tompelli]

Prime example of what happens when you get caught telling porkies  to customs. Presenting a false declaration for financial gain, because the staple fell off the brown envelope.

[yankee99]

8 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

40% is 2.95 million, they are expensive busses !!

200,000 usd is not expensive for a commercial bus

[hansnl]

1 hour ago, kannot said:

More  like Bangkok will never  see those  buses.................why the hell the govt didnt buy direct from China baffles   me.............well not really as  theres  a useful  opportunity for  creaming  off

The whole thing started because the Bestrin tender was the lowest.

Of course the buses would be made in China, but by changing the country of origin a lot of tax could be avoided.

That was the only way to make these buses cheaper as the offerings of the other companies.

Now, no profit for Bestrin.

Wonder if the other 389 buses will arrive?

[Don Mega]

33 minutes ago, yankee99 said:

200,000 usd is not expensive for a commercial bus

 

 

it is for one from china.

[Orac]

3 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Must be a first - a Thai admitting to wrongdoings. Did the manager of Bestrin Group not read the Thainess 101 book? 

 

I would guess he is more worried that Customs will look into the 5000 other buses they have brought in previously possibly using the same route.

[thaistocks]

What's really shameful of this whole NGV bus story is that a well qualified Thai listed company was awarded the concession on good merit, only to be muscled out later.  On page 4 of Cho Thavee's (CHO, 1.75) 2015 annual report the Chairman writes: "The company under joint venture has won the tender of NGV project..."  then on page 5 the President of CHO writes in its letter to shareholders: "However as you all have known, the NGV public transportation project...has been suspended therefore we need to take legal action against the government  agency further in 2016."

On page  74 of this same last annual report it further notes:   "The government agency announced the company has won the auction for the repair and maintenance of buses on July 27 2015.  Afterward, the company had received a canceling letter of the 489 unitsof natural gas (NGV) public transportation buses purchasing project contract.."

[Sydebolle]

The BMA is publicly governmental (ultimately Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Interior) while the customs is Ministry of Finance. Is this a case where the government charges and fines the very same government? 
No common sense country would charge duties on (public transportation) service provided for by the very same government. 
Last not least the import duties on vehicles are ridiculous; for the price of a locally assembled pick-up you get a small BMW in Europe (assembled in Germany, that is)! 

[worgeordie]

Maybe they will return the remaining buses back to Malaysia,unload them, 

take the wheels off ,put back on again,and export again as made in Malaysia.

The only way the company can make a profit now,is not to pay the supplier

in China, trying to pull a fast one,which normally works here,has cost them big.

 

regards Worgeordie

[tompelli]

4 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

The BMA is publicly governmental (ultimately Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Interior) while the customs is Ministry of Finance. Is this a case where the government charges and fines the very same government? 
No common sense country would charge duties on (public transportation) service provided for by the very same government. 
Last not least the import duties on vehicles are ridiculous; for the price of a locally assembled pick-up you get a small BMW in Europe (assembled in Germany, that is)! 

Think you are missing the main points of this debacle. BMTA sets up a level field bidding process (in theory) to get the best deal for their budget. Customs apply rules to maintain relevant trade agreements. The BMW would be cheaper if you have a paper saying it was made in Malaysia. If the paper turns out to be a false declaration you're screwed.