BMTA scraps NGV bus deal with Bestlin Group

[webfact]

BMTA scraps NGV bus deal with Bestlin Group

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the operator of city bus service, has scrapped its contract to procure a fleet of 498 NGV buses from Bestlin Group effective as of Wednesday.

 

Transport deputy permanent secretary and acting director of BMTA, Mr Somsak Hommuang, disclosed on Wednesday that he had signed an order revoking the 1.3 billion baht bus deal with Bestlin Group after the company failed to deliver the buses to BMTA within December 29 deadline.

 

Until now, Bestlin Group is still unable to deliver all the buses as pledged with 99 units of the fleet being impounded at Laem Chabang deep-sea port by Customs Department, pending a settlement of 844 million baht in unpaid fine or eight million baht in fine every day from December 30 to April 12.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/bmta-scraps-ngv-bus-deal-bestlin-group/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-04-13

[colinneil]

How can they scrap the contract, when Bestlin tried to deliver, but were blocked by Thai customs?

[JAG]

So all and any monies paid out so far, will be returned to BMTA coffers, right?

[smutcakes]

21 minutes ago, colinneil said:

How can they scrap the contract, when Bestlin tried to deliver, but were blocked by Thai customs?

I presume effective delivery of the vehicles is only achieved once customs is cleared.

 

From what I have read Bestlin tried to avoid import duty by falsely claiming they were produced in Malaysia, where in actual fact they were made in China then shipped via Malaysia.

 

I am sure there is more to it than the above though.

[bkkcanuck8]

34 minutes ago, colinneil said:

How can they scrap the contract, when Bestlin tried to deliver, but were blocked by Thai customs?

The delivery did not fulfill the contract terms.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

What future is it for a country that can't even get new busses without any screw-ups?

[BEVUP]

Park them beside the fire engines

[ezzra]

 

One is gob smacked to the level of corruption and shady dealings in this country

whereby a company is in bold face trying to pass hundreds of Chinese buses

to Malaysian ones thinking that they will be able to pull it off, well, guess what,

now you going to eat those buses for breakfast for long time to come....

(or until a more friendly transport boss will be elected )

[tracker1]

So 99 are already here not a bad number to add to the fleet for nothing !

[worgeordie]

Maybe the BMTA,can negotiate a new contract at 50 % of the original one,

as they are holding all the cards now.

Corruption does not always pay,they must not have had as good of contacts

as they thought, to help ease the buses through customs.

regards worgeordie

[smutcakes]

I noted that Bestlin group were one of the bidders expressing interest in the new Micro Transport vans which are soon to be ordered on mass.

Would live to know the faces behind some of hear companies.

[robblok]

10 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

I noted that Bestlin group were one of the bidders expressing interest in the new Micro Transport vans which are soon to be ordered on mass.

Would live to know the faces behind some of hear companies.

 

Don't we all.. but seems Bestin is getting a beating (and deserved) for trying to commit fraud and avoidance of taxes. It would be a long legal battle if they had accepted the buses to make sure Bestin pays the taxes. Now it will be an other legal battle but maybe an easier one.

 

Plus maybe they can get their cut on ordering buses two times now (cynic in me)

[FredNL]

LOS: Land Of Scams !!!

[optad]

3 hours ago, smutcakes said:

I noted that Bestlin group were one of the bidders expressing interest in the new Micro Transport vans which are soon to be ordered on mass.

Would live to know the faces behind some of hear companies.

We touched on this point in a thread some months back. The Bestlin board and the who who's is the intriguing thing. They have been smacked here and I see no reason for the buses not  to remain and contracts renegotiated. It may become  a question for liquidators which would be interesting assuming 'Bestkin' own the buses. They are needed and on deck. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, colinneil said:

How can they scrap the contract, when Bestlin tried to deliver, but were blocked by Thai customs?

 

Because they fraudulently imported buses that were supposed to have been assembled in Malaysia, but in fact were assembled in China, and then submitted false documentation to Thai Customs.

 

[NanLaew]

6 hours ago, colinneil said:

How can they scrap the contract, when Bestlin tried to deliver, but were blocked by Thai customs?

Thai Customs didn't get a bung to turn a blind eye to the actual origins of the buses.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Amazing to me that ThaiPBS can post an article like this so lacking in even the most basic details:

 

Like, why exactly are they scrapping the deal, when they already have a couple hundred buses that have already cleared Customs and are sitting here ready to use??? And the answer is...

 

Quote

 

Mr Somsak said he had to scrap the contract because he was chosen by his superior at the Transport Ministry to resolve this issue which as dragged on for several months.

Even though he might get into trouble later on, he stressed that he had no choice but to scrap the bus deal.

 

 

Wow, that's a really good explanation. Now I understand everything, of course!!!  

 

So beyond that:

 

--What's going to happen with the couple hundred buses that have already been delivered here and cleared Customs, and in fact are apparently ready to put into BMTA service right now?  NADA.

 

--What's going to happen to whatever contract funds the BMTA has already paid to Bestlin and other parties involved in the procurement?  NADA.

 

--What about the supposed criminal charges that were to be lodged against Bestlin for falsifying documents, etc?  NADA.

 

--What's the BMTA planning to do to get other new BMTA NGV buses, if it's not going to use the ones from Bestlin it already has? NADA.

 

--How many more years is a new round of NGV bus contracting going to take? NADA.

 

--How many rounds of failed NGV bus contracting for BMTA does this latest fiasco represent?  Third, fourth go-round??? NADA.

 

Edited April 13, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[JAG]

 

 

 

[JAG]

I

[JAG]

Amazing to me that ThaiPBS can post an article like this so lacking in even the most basic details:
 
Like, why exactly are they scrapping the deal, when they already have a couple hundred buses that have already cleared Customs and are sitting here ready to use??? And the answer is...
 

 

Mr Somsak said he had to scrap the contract because he was chosen by his superior at the Transport Ministry to resolve this issue which as dragged on for several months.

Even though he might get into trouble later on, he stressed that he had no choice but to scrap the bus deal.

 

 
Wow, that's a really good explanation. Now I understand everything, of course!!!  [emoji185]
 
So beyond that:
 
--What's going to happen with the couple hundred buses that have already been delivered here and cleared Customs, and in fact are apparently ready to put into BMTA service right now?  NADA.
 
--What's going to happen to whatever contract funds the BMTA has already paid to Bestlin and other parties involved in the procurement?  NADA.
 
--What about the supposed criminal charges that were to be lodged against Bestlin for falsifying documents, etc?  NADA.
 
--What's the BMTA planning to do to get other new BMTA NGV buses, if it's not going to use the ones from Bestlin it already has? NADA.
 
--How many more years is a new round of NGV bus contracting going to take? NADA.
 
--How many rounds of failed NGV bus contracting for BMTA does this latest fiasco represent?  Third, fourth go-round??? NADA.
 


Very negative thinking...

You must understand that each of these various rounds of negotiations represents tremendous opportunities to those involved to, um, hone their various negotiating skills.

Meanwhile the urban peasantry ( because let's face it that's who travels by bus in Bangkok) can cram into the ancient battered vehicles that they have been using for the last four to years.

[JAG]

The quotes system seems to be having a nervous breakdown. The preceeding three posts are an attempt to quote "TallGuyJohninBKK" and add a comment.

[ignis]

'--What's the BMTA planning to do to get other new BMTA NGV buses, if it's not going to use the ones from Bestlin it already has? NADA.'

 

Don't often go to BKK, but had to go to the Eye Hospital [my 4 month check-up]  noticed 2 of these Blue 'Bestin' Bus's on ? Service. with red Plates...... so maybe they are using them ?

 

As a PS:  same here.. The quotes system seems to be having a nervous breakdown... so just used 'copy & Paste'

Edited April 18, 2017 by ignis

[just.a.thought]

We all loose, the people who take the bus every day still can't get proper service. The people breathing the polluted air,made worse by the old diesel buses. The tax payers who has to pay for the maintenance of the old bus fleet.......where did the money go,how much did this cost so far.

Why not use the buses already here as part of a deal to pay for the fines.....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

28 minutes ago, just.a.thought said:

 

Why not use the buses already here as part of a deal to pay for the fines.....

 

That would have been my thinking and common sense approach....  Sure,, go after and fine, penalize, prosecute, whatever the shady bus importer. But keep and use the buses that are already here and ready to go, and make that part of any ultimate deal. It's not like the bus importer has a lot of leverage at this point.

 

But common sense isn't much in evidence around these parts.

 

Besides, yet another round of (failed) bus procurement presumably provides yet another opportunity for various parties to become "unusually wealthy."

[patyh]

3 hours ago, ignis said:

'--What's the BMTA planning to do to get other new BMTA NGV buses, if it's not going to use the ones from Bestlin it already has? NADA.'

 

Don't often go to BKK, but had to go to the Eye Hospital [my 4 month check-up]  noticed 2 of these Blue 'Bestin' Bus's on ? Service. with red Plates...... so maybe they are using them ?

 

As a PS:  same here.. The quotes system seems to be having a nervous breakdown... so just used 'copy & Paste'

 

I read in a report, the buses that are already on the road with BMTA GPS unit installed will have their GPS units removed and returned. 

 

BMTA will submit to the cabinet for a new tender to be issued with new TOR. 

[Nigeone]

Not sure I feel we are getting the full story here as to who's guilty or how !! One thing is sure if you were a organization approached by Thailand to tender for large contracts like this you'd have to do a lot of soul searching before you'd tender !! No wonder the likes of Volvo stepped back. Also as others have said maybe these can go along side the fire engines !