Bt650m owed for illegal ‘super cars’

[rooster59]

Bt650m owed for illegal ‘super cars’

By Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai
The Nation

 

Department of Special Investigation deputy chief Pol Lt Colonel Korrawat Panprapakorn discloses the agency’s progress in its investigation into fraudulent declarations made on imported luxury cars to avoid paying full taxes.

 

DSI and customs to take legal action against importers for unpaid taxes

 

BUSINESS operators who allegedly failed to pay taxes on 30 Lamborghini sports cars, involving fraudulent import declarations valued at Bt650 million, will face legal action, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and Customs officials said yesterday. 

 

Another batch of 300 super cars – including 166 cars seized during DSI raids on May 18 and 24 – are still undergoing tax assessment.

 

Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang, the DSI head, said Customs officials found taxes worth Bt650 million were not paid on 30 Lamborghinis.

 

DSI deputy chief Pol Lt-Colonel Korrawat Panprapakorn said at least Bt10 million in unpaid tax was owed on each of the 30 cars, with some a lot more than others, depending on models and “tricks” used to avoid paying the full tax sum due. Customs officials would take action to collect the unpaid taxes while the DSI would summon suspects for questioning, he said. 

 

As well as the usual trick of submitting invoices with false information, Korrawat said they found that some cars' information was changed to details of a cheaper model and subjected to much lower taxes. Eight |of the 11 Lamborghini Aventador sports cars imported from Britain were found to actually be the older and cheaper Gallardo model. 

 

The model name was changed back to Aventador when registered with the Land Transport Department, he said. 

 

Two Lamborghinis, declared as parts at Bt300,000 for the frame and Bt38,000 for the engine, were to be re-assembled in Thailand and were taxed at only Bt900,000. They were actually imported as whole cars and should have been taxed at Bt18 million and Bt20 million respectively, Korrawat said. 

 

Car parts for re-assembling are taxed at 80 per cent of the declared price, while whole cars are taxed at up to 328 per cent. These two cars were among those burnt during transport in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district in 2013, he said.

 

Korrawat said a total of 300 super cars had already been submitted for tax assessment.

 

He said the DSI was targeting business operators involved in tax evasion rather than the buyers who would initially be regarded as damaged persons. 

 

He said that the DSI had so far found 15 of the 42 cars reported stolen in Britain by the UK-based National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS). 

 

Customs Department chief Kulit Sombatsiri said his agency would proceed with tax assessment of the vehicles within one week. 

 

He said that the Customs officials whom the DSI had found to be involved in the fraudulent import declarations had already been fired. 

 

Port committees have been told to be strict when releasing cars through the customs procedure, he said, and they were advised to seek help when they find dubious details. 

 

Kulit said he had ordered the amendment of a 13-year-old regulation that allowed an operators’ invoice to be accepted for taxation purposes. 

 

He also expressed a personal view that the 328 per cent tax should be adjusted or business operators would still find ways to evade tax. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30318285

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-17

 

[ezzra]

The irony is that you try to import a two stroke scooter worth a $1,000

and it will be virtually impossible, and here we have super cars, worth in the tens of millions baht, some even

stolen abroad, imported into Thailand with almost no questions asks

only fat brown envelops changing hands.. so I say good on ya DSI

and you grey markets guys who thought that this in the bag game,

well, now you know better...

Edited June 16, 2017 by ezzra

[YetAnother]

almost 2/3 of a trillion baht !

[colinneil]

He said the customs officials involved had already been fired.

Well thats a start, when will they be prosecuted?

When will their ill-gotten gains be confiscated?

[theguyfromanotherforum]

14 hours ago, YetAnother said:

almost 2/3 of a trillion baht !

 

Thanks for that, cheers

[JAS21]

I'm glad that I decided not to 'invest' in a Lambo and went for a pickup instead ...

[Tilacme]

Impose a grossly unfair 328% tax coupled with self certification and what do the DSI expect is going to happen.  Tax greed is guilty here and as the saying goes, he who commits the first wrong commits the greater wrong.

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

the Customs officials whom the DSI had found to be involved in the fraudulent import declarations had already been fired. 

 

But have their passports been confiscated?

[gk10002000]

did I read that right?  taxation of 80% 328 % of values?  I mean, even if the buyer were rich, just the idea of being gouged would turn me off.  I am a millionaire but I don't have a lot of need nor desire to buy a ferrari and use up a good chunk of my net worth to purchase it, never mind the insurance and maintenance.  It still does the same thing (mostly) that my buick does,  Keeps the rain off my head, has Air con, and heat.  Goes up to 100 miles per hour.  I really don't get the super luxury thing, except for showing off, which is quite a turn off in a supposed buddhist country

[janclaes47]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Two Lamborghinis, declared as parts at Bt300,000 for the frame and Bt38,000 for the engine,

 

I want such a Lamborghini engine for 38K Baht

[luk AJ]

almost 2/3 of a trillion baht !

1 trillion = 1.000.000.000.000.000.000


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[overherebc]

Is it possible to buy a fully legal supercar here?

Just in case I have a massive lottery win.

????

[nahkit]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Eight |of the 11 Lamborghini Aventador sports cars imported from Britain were found to actually be the older and cheaper Gallardo model. 

So does that mean that the customs department owe them a refund?

[halloween]

8 minutes ago, nahkit said:

So does that mean that the customs department owe them a refund?

Nah. Poor reporting. They declared them as Gallardos and paid tax on that price, then registered them (accurately) as Aventadors.

[halloween]

Does anybody believe this investigation would have occurred under a PTP government, with the DPM driving an untaxed Bentley?

[nahkit]

12 minutes ago, halloween said:

Nah. Poor reporting. They declared them as Gallardos and paid tax on that price, then registered them (accurately) as Aventadors.

That's pretty much what I thought they were trying to write.

[topt]

33 minutes ago, luk AJ said:

1 trillion = 1.000.000.000.000.000.000


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Apparently depends - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trillion

 

If you believe Wiki..............

Numbers[edit]

• Trillion (short scale) (1,000,000,000,000; one million million; 10¹²; SI prefix: tera-), the current meaning in both American and British English
• Trillion (long scale) (1,000,000,000,000,000,000; one million million million; 10¹⁸; SI prefix: exa-), the former meaning in British English and current usage in many non-English-speaking countries

[Get Real]

Let´em pay up or drive a bicycle directly to jail.

[MichaelJohn]

I'm pretty sure in other countries they don't release the goods till the duty is paid.

I guess the customs dept didn't think of that.

Plenty of unpaid tax to share around?

[Chris Lawrence]

Car dealers? They think they are smart, getting thru customs then get greedy. But how will the cars be returned? Here is your car come and get it. If the Thais can clear title the cars maybe a big fire sale or big fire.

[Sydebolle]

"Pol Col Paisit Wongmuang, the DSI head, said Customs officials found taxes worth Bt650 million were not paid on 30 Lamborghinis."

This explains it all, nobody in his right mind would pay THB 20 million in taxes on a Lamborghini. Whoever wrote the customs tariff must have been on seriously good weed. 

Of course these tax scales remain because it ensures that the non-inactive officials at the customs department can keep up with the Jones. I would assume that the decision makers within the Thai customs must be the richest on the entire planet - pathetic. 

Those who've been around for a moment will know, that the DLT in Ayuthya and Srisaket are the more "favourite" registrations branches of the DLT to register such cars.

 

The mind boggles while smart kids from Northeastern have-nothings are born and have lost our in life before they can walk .......... 

[luis888]

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

did I read that right?  taxation of 80% 328 % of values?  I mean, even if the buyer were rich, just the idea of being gouged would turn me off.  I am a millionaire but I don't have a lot of need nor desire to buy a ferrari and use up a good chunk of my net worth to purchase it, never mind the insurance and maintenance.  It still does the same thing (mostly) that my buick does,  Keeps the rain off my head, has Air con, and heat.  Goes up to 100 miles per hour.  I really don't get the super luxury thing, except for showing off, which is quite a turn off in a supposed buddhist country

The 1st criminal here is the government. How can they think that it's OK to charge 300% import duty. So its fine for the government to steal from you. If there was an actual mathematician employed by the government and if they charged 50% import duty  (which is still a sh1t load of money when  you're dealing with large amounts) you would sell more than 10 times what you are selling now and that would make more money into government coffers, more sales which would equate to more employment  (sales and workshop) more tax on fuel spent etc. etc. 

I'm not really a cash millionaire but I've always liked nice cars and motorcycle so I don't criticise anyone for having one (or more). As a non drinker I don't understand anyone paying stupid money for a bottle of wine or whiskey and after an hour  you piss it out.

There is a saying that goes like this. Don't do like I do, do like I say. Just because I'm a thief doesn't mean you can steal.

On a final note I have to disagree with you GK10002000, not all cars and bikes are the same, some have a soul.

[halloween]

2 minutes ago, luis888 said:

The 1st criminal here is the government. How can they think that it's OK to charge 300% import duty. So its fine for the government to steal from you. If there was an actual mathematician employed by the government and if they charged 50% import duty  (which is still a sh1t load of money when  you're dealing with large amounts) you would sell more than 10 times what you are selling now and that would make more money into government coffers, more sales which would equate to more employment  (sales and workshop) more tax on fuel spent etc. etc. 

I'm not really a cash millionaire but I've always liked nice cars and motorcycle so I don't criticise anyone for having one (or more). As a non drinker I don't understand anyone paying stupid money for a bottle of wine or whiskey and after an hour  you piss it out.

There is a saying that goes like this. Don't do like I do, do like I say. Just because I'm a thief doesn't mean you can steal.

On a final note I have to disagree with you GK10002000, not all cars and bikes are the same, some have a soul.

Ummm..................they don't want to import 10 times more cars and motorcycles, they want you to buy the locally produced product. if you are rich, and stupid, enough to want to buy an imported vehicle, up to you. Meanwhile, locally produced pick-ups are sold with very little tax to make them more affordable for low income Thais.

[catman20]

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

did I read that right?  taxation of 80% 328 % of values?  I mean, even if the buyer were rich, just the idea of being gouged would turn me off.  I am a millionaire but I don't have a lot of need nor desire to buy a ferrari and use up a good chunk of my net worth to purchase it, never mind the insurance and maintenance.  It still does the same thing (mostly) that my buick does,  Keeps the rain off my head, has Air con, and heat.  Goes up to 100 miles per hour.  I really don't get the super luxury thing, except for showing off, which is quite a turn off in a supposed buddhist country

You can't take your money with you, if your living in Thailand and you are that rich splash out on at least a nice benz or BMW. 

[seancbk]

5 hours ago, YetAnother said:

almost 2/3 of a trillion baht !

 

You mean billion.

[Ulic]

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

almost 2/3 of a trillion baht !

Or 2/3 of a billion.