289 seized exotics including several Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Rolls-Royce cars will be auctioned on July 30th most likely for way below market price by the Thai Customs Department.
The vehicles were confiscated from owners whom imported them illegally by several means including smuggling them thru Malaysia or falsely declaring the purchase price in an attempt to pay reduced taxes. As an example the below Lamborghini Aventador was legally imported but was declared as a lower-priced Gallardo. The Importer was later fined 30 million baht (approx. $962,400.00) in tariffs.
548 additional exotic car owners were given a strict deadline of September 2nd to have their vehicles inspected by the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) to assure they have not been imported fraudulently. Deputy DSI chief Lt Col Wannapong Khacharak warned that those cars that are not inspected will be considered illegal. Customs officials have already blocked all border check points preventing from luxury car owners taking their vehicles out of the country to prevent having them inspected or being caught.
Most recently in what’s being considered as an attempt to evade inspection, four exotics owned by Naruenart Kwansawas and Thanant Kwansawas caught fire while being transported through Nakhon Ratchasima. Naruenart and Thanant were arrested on multiple counts of tax evasion and denied all charges. They were both released on two million baht (approx. $64,000) bail, promising to submit more documents in their defense by June 28th which they have rescheduled twice since.
Tax evasion on exotic cars in Thailand has been ongoing for several years and gone unpunished as most of the cases involve politicians, their families and or associates as being the owners. For those interested in taking part of the auction, the auction will be held at the department’s headquarters in the Bangkok’s Klong Toey district and hosted by Union Auction.
Would you go to this Bangkok auction to get a bargain on a supercar?
