Tainted Bestlin allowed to bid for bus deal with BMTA

[webfact]

Tainted Bestlin allowed to bid for bus deal with BMTA

By Chalarntorn Yothasmutra

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Bestlin Group is one among three companies bidding to supply 489 NGV buses to Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the sole operator of public bus service in Bangkok.

 

The two other companies vying for the 3,387-million baht bus deal are  Thai Technology and Development Company and JVCC Chor Thavee joint venture.

 

BMTA board chairman Natthachart Charuchinda said Wednesday that that the bus agency had complied with the law and took into consideration the benefits of the organization in allowing Bestlin Group to join the bidding.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tainted-bestlin-allowed-bid-bus-deal-bmta/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-08-24

[worgeordie]

Is this a bidding to supply buses to  BMTA, to replace the ones

that never passed customs,and are parked up somewhere,maybe

in the field next to the Fire Engines ,theres been no word what is

happening to those buses that were supposed to have been assembled

in Malaysia ,but were not,

regards worgeordie

[robblok]

Complete scam... why allow a tainted company bid again. There must be some powerful people behind Bestlin. 

[Thian]

I've never heard of those companies, do they make buses or just buy them of the shelves somewhere?

 

I wished they bought really good ones, no chinese crap....This whole story has become a big joke already and in the meantime travellers still sit in stinky old buses from 40 years old.

[Thian]

5 minutes ago, robblok said:

Complete scam... why allow a tainted company bid again. There must be some powerful people behind Bestlin. 

Because the Thai reputation was not damaged enough by the last deal...

[amdy2206]

So much for stamping out corruption. Bestin were corrupt and are now allowed back in! What picture does that.paint to the population and world?

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Is this a bidding to supply buses to  BMTA, to replace the ones that never passed customs,and are parked up somewhere,maybe in the field next to the Fire Engines ,theres been no word what is happening to those buses that were supposed to have been assembled in Malaysia ,but were not,

regards worgeordie

No.

BMTA actually took delivery of all 489 NGV buses as the first procurement towards BMTA's planned purchase of a total of 2,694 NGV buses. 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/805047-thai-transport-minister-urges-feasibility-study-for-electric-buses/

The last I know is that the only open issue with Bestlin's buses were import taxes. But that was a matter between the Customs Department and the importer Super Zara. Not a matter for Bestlin per se (Super Zara may sue Bestlin for misrepresentation but that's not a BMTA procurement issue). Super Zara did pay the import tax for the second lot of 389 buses but maintained that they were assembled in Malaysia with local contents. But for the first lot of 100 buses, the company has so far refused to pay the import tax.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/customs-take-case-public-prosecutors-importer-ngv-buses/

 

 

[Srikcir]

5 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

BMTA actually took delivery of all 489 NGV buses as the first procurement towards BMTA's planned purchase of a total of 2,694 NGV buses. 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Bestlin Group is one among three companies bidding to supply 489 NGV buses to Bangkok Mass Transit Authority

Either the reporter is confusing the first procurement of 489 NGV buses with the next bid lot or the second bid lot is exactly the same number of buses as the first lot. Whatever, it makes the article confusing.

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, robblok said:

There must be some powerful people behind Bestlin. 

The one and only - China.

Bestlin is the Thai importer of NGV buses manufactured by Shanghai shenlong Bus Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Sunlong”). http://www.cccme.org.cn/shop/cccme13794/index.aspx

The Bestlin buses for BMTA were imported through Malaysia. Interestingly, the same bus model is imported to supply buses in Malaysia, albeit by a different company.

http://www.chinabuses.org/news/2017/0515/article_11062.html

The bottom line is that Bestlin fully complied with BMTA's TOR including field testing and delivered the 489 NGV buses in full. There is no "taint" to prevent Bestlin from bidding again.

 

 

[Grumpy Duck]

Strange all the busses I see running around town are ancient pink, white/blue & yellow Daimler Benz, Mitsubishi, and I cannot remember other manufacturers perhaps Isuzu? I am curious where are all these new NGV busses running?

[robblok]

47 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

The one and only - China.

Bestlin is the Thai importer of NGV buses manufactured by Shanghai shenlong Bus Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Sunlong”). http://www.cccme.org.cn/shop/cccme13794/index.aspx

The Bestlin buses for BMTA were imported through Malaysia. Interestingly, the same bus model is imported to supply buses in Malaysia, albeit by a different company.

http://www.chinabuses.org/news/2017/0515/article_11062.html

The bottom line is that Bestlin fully complied with BMTA's TOR including field testing and delivered the 489 NGV buses in full. There is no "taint" to prevent Bestlin from bidding again.

 

 

The tax evasion question is a taint, pretending that the buses were made in Malaysia to prevent taxes.. i call that fraud.. 

[Baerboxer]

11 hours ago, robblok said:

Complete scam... why allow a tainted company bid again. There must be some powerful people behind Bestlin. 

 

You can bet the % went up for Bestlin!

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

The tax evasion question is a taint, pretending that the buses were made in Malaysia to prevent taxes.. i call that fraud.. 

The legal question of unpaid import customs tax on the buses was an issue of the importer Supersara Company limited (aka Super Zara). Not Bestlin. BMTA has threatened Super with prosecution over tax payment. http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/customs-take-case-public-prosecutors-importer-ngv-buses/

Pretending that the buses were made in Malaysia was not the accusation.

Bestlin claimed that 40% of the buses used Malaysian made parts (which is why the buses went from China to Malaysia instead of directly to Thailand) that would make the buses exempt from Thai import tax because of the ASEAN trade agreements with Malaysia. The charge that was made was that the buses were not adapted in any way in Malaysia and were fully made and assembled only in China.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/957802-ngv-bus-scandal-getting-more-likely-that-company-will-lose-contract/

But again the customs tax issue from a legal viewpoint was a matter between the Customs Department and  with Super. To call Bestlin "tainted" is a mischaracterization and obviously didn't disqualify it from bidding again.

 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

The tax evasion question is a taint, pretending that the buses were made in Malaysia to prevent taxes.. i call that fraud.. 

 

Longtime ago a company I worked for supplied machines to a country that insisted we made them at out German factory. Some parts were but most parts bought throughout Europe and all assembled and commissioned in the UK. We purchased the name plates in Germany, and they stated "made in Germany". Which was true - the nameplates were indeed made in Germany!

Only a young lad then, but never forgot how dishonest and fraudulent sales people can be when needed.

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, robblok said:

i call that fraud

If one is concerned about potential fraud in BMTA's purchase of the NGV buses, one need only look at BMTA itself.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/BMTA-faces-lawsuit-alleging-collusion-over-NGV-bus-30266637.html

As a result the lawsuit by Bestlin, BMTA redid the bidding .

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911160-bmta-gives-details-on-ngv-bus-procurement-tor/

Bestlin won the bid, likely to BMTA's chagrin. BMTA's procurement "irregularities were forgotten and the lawsuit withdrawn. But BMTA's officers may have kept a grudge towards Bestlin to force a rebid.

[robblok]

8 hours ago, Srikcir said:

The legal question of unpaid import customs tax on the buses was an issue of the importer Supersara Company limited (aka Super Zara). Not Bestlin. BMTA has threatened Super with prosecution over tax payment. http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/customs-take-case-public-prosecutors-importer-ngv-buses/

Pretending that the buses were made in Malaysia was not the accusation.

Bestlin claimed that 40% of the buses used Malaysian made parts (which is why the buses went from China to Malaysia instead of directly to Thailand) that would make the buses exempt from Thai import tax because of the ASEAN trade agreements with Malaysia. The charge that was made was that the buses were not adapted in any way in Malaysia and were fully made and assembled only in China.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/957802-ngv-bus-scandal-getting-more-likely-that-company-will-lose-contract/

But again the customs tax issue from a legal viewpoint was a matter between the Customs Department and  with Super. To call Bestlin "tainted" is a mischaracterization and obviously didn't disqualify it from bidding again.

 

 

 

That is a better explanation then I made but it still comes down to the same thing... trying to get a tax exempt on fraudulent grounds. 

[robblok]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

If one is concerned about potential fraud in BMTA's purchase of the NGV buses, one need only look at BMTA itself.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/BMTA-faces-lawsuit-alleging-collusion-over-NGV-bus-30266637.html

As a result the lawsuit by Bestlin, BMTA redid the bidding .

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911160-bmta-gives-details-on-ngv-bus-procurement-tor/

Bestlin won the bid, likely to BMTA's chagrin. BMTA's procurement "irregularities were forgotten and the lawsuit withdrawn. But BMTA's officers may have kept a grudge towards Bestlin to force a rebid.

I am not saying the BMA is an example of clean business, but Bestin did try to defraud the taxman. I call that still tainted. I am not sure why you are defending them so hard. 

[lamyai3]

On 8/24/2017 at 8:03 PM, Grumpy Duck said:

Strange all the busses I see running around town are ancient pink, white/blue & yellow Daimler Benz, Mitsubishi, and I cannot remember other manufacturers perhaps Isuzu? I am curious where are all these new NGV busses running?

Me too. Where are these buses right now, that were parked up in customs?