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

[NextStationBangkok]

42 minutes ago, tompelli said:

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

 

 

They are terribly noisy buses. I am sure someone received bribe for their imports.

 

They should replace them with some other better buses, that lasts longer.

[ironbark]

Arrogance and stupidity. the law applies equally to all, except me of course.

[NextStationBangkok]

4 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

 

 

This is general practice of most companies in Asia. Some even just fix the final logo and claim it is made in xxx country, after the whole thing comes from China. Anyhow Chinese products doesn't last longer. Probably their running time is just 5 years rather than good quality ones can be operated for 15-20 years.

[Loeilad]

Hoist on one's own protectionist petard?

[Emster23]

Sounds like a case for Article 44 man!

[heybuz]

i hope they sought it out after all who looses, the minions in bkk,surely some agreement can be reached whether made in malaysia or china i'm sure there a serviceable item and somebody who wields power should make an executive decision.

[George Graham]

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

 

Faces lost but no shame.

Thai "Ruk" Thai.

[KIWIBATCH]

45 minutes ago, eddie61 said:

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

Hilarious!!!

 

...."Trust us we are Thai...I mean Malaysian...oh hang on I mean Chinese...." 

[heybuz]

another thought why didn't they make them here in thailand

 

[Jim walker]

And all this fuss because the lack of enough brown envelopes to go round.

[Brigante7]

Just pay the bribe and move on.

 

 

 

Brigante7. 

[Lupatria]

PISA down-voters at work!

[fruitman]

When they bought the skytrains from Siemens there were also many issues with the payments. 

 

This sets Thailand back to an very undeveloped country which even can't buy some buses or trains, but not loosing face!

 

We also had the 300 firetrucks who are still rotting away on a field.

 

Just stop with that whole importtax thing or mr Trump and later Europe might give it back to them....better stop now since it's blocking the development of the whole nation.

[johnhw]

1 hour ago, eddie61 said:

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

Hilarious!!!

Funny little BIG people back in '08 whose greed nearly created a world-wide financial melt-down.

Face it, when it comes to corruption, these 'little people' are still amateurs.

[natway09]

In this case the customs dept are quite correct.

If the buses majority  of parts content originate from China , the Malaysians had no right to use Form D.

China is not part of the Asean Form D duty extension

[cyberfarang]

5 hours ago, Lammbock said:

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

Well done

Describing all male Thais as Somchai is a racist term that I am seeing way too often on TV.

[SiSePuede419]

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

 

You know those buses we just sold you?  We didn't really make them.  Can we have tax break now?  ?

[lvr181]

6 hours ago, waldroj said:

"...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 !!!

 

 

 

Nah, just take the buses put them to good use and keep the 330 million until the whole sordid mess is cleaned up and the perpetrators of this scam are jailed.

[arrowsdawdle]

"Check customs documentation".....Does that translate from the Thai phrase "Held for ransom?"

[drbrit]

The bus brand is Sunlong.  A Chinese bus manufacturer in Shenzen.  The yellow buses on BKK's streets are the same brand, as are many of the tour coaches seen across Thailand these days.

The 40% of parts and assembly being from Malaysia therefore sounds very dubious.

So after all the fanfare of "new clean buses as Happy New Year Gift" to the capital - looks like they will be parked up pending dispute & legal resolution for who knows how long...!

 

 

[ballpoint]

3 hours ago, peterrabbit said:

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

Lesson to all ASEAN companies thinking of trying to rip off Thailand by reselling made in China goods as their own, in order to get tax breaks:- DON'T!

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, cyberfarang said:

Describing all male Thais as Somchai is a racist term that I am seeing way too often on TV.

 

I don't agree, it's like calling all westerners a fallang...everybody has a man named Somchai in his street so it's an easy word to name the Thai...nothing racist or whatever, just easy.

 

I don't care being called a fallang, hear it all day long as soon as i pass some Thai.

[fruitman]

19 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Lesson to all ASEAN companies thinking of trying to rip off Thailand by reselling made in China goods as their own, in order to get tax breaks:- DON'T!

 

Next time Thailand calls abroad to place a big order they will say: ohhh Thailand, mai mee krab, mod leow.

 

It's like Volvo refusing to sell them the buses, they don't want to be involved into a corruption scandal.

[Gandtee]

Is there ever a business deal that is not tainted by corruption in Thailand. Oh! Sorry. We shouldn't say or do anything to sully the name of Thailand. I apologise.

[Chalard]

3 hours ago, heybuz said:

another thought why didn't they make them here in thailand

 

 

Not enough corruption money in it to make it worthwhile..... lol

[gemguy]

6 hours 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..

"Some People"....... have to be paid or they will not sign off.

Cheers

[mrjohn]

“Thailand is a democratic country and adheres to free trade.”

The Great Leader 3rd June 2016

I was so shocked when I heard this nonsense by “the self-appointed one”  on Thai TV  that I checked my dictionary  in case I had misunderstood the meaning of the phrase “free trade”

I had not!

Free trade is : “international buying and selling of goods, without limits on the amount of goods that one country can sell to another, and without special taxes on the goods bought from a foreign country.”

Which part of the words"free trade" do Thais not understand?

 

[Wilsonandson]

Where is Prime Minister Prayuth? This is a disgrace. Let the vehicles in. You made the deal, you have to man up and honour it. Big woose!

[fruitman]

15 minutes ago, mrjohn said:

“Thailand is a democratic country and adheres to free trade.”

The Great Leader 3rd June 2016

I was so shocked when I heard this nonsense by “the self-appointed one”  on Thai TV  that I checked my dictionary  in case I had misunderstood the meaning of the phrase “free trade”

I had not!

Free trade is : “international buying and selling of goods, without limits on the amount of goods that one country can sell to another, and without special taxes on the goods bought from a foreign country.”

Which part of the words"free trade" do Thais not understand?

 

I agree but it's the same in Europe, free trade without borders but don't bring a truck full of liquor or fuel over the border cause you'll go to jail for long time.

 

Strange thing is that people don't stand up and fight for their rights...In Europe they accept it.

[Dumbastheycome]

9 hours ago, Changwatchap said:

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

Huh? Malaysians  and  Chinese are not foreigners in Thailand?  Wait til I tell   Aunty ! She will want a  refund!