Investigators are preparing to check the tax records of 300 luxury vehicles in light of the various deceptions used to evade tax, according to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
The DSI had found unrealistically low prices declared to the Customs Department for 32 luxury cars -- 31 Lamborghinis and a Lexus -- based on the figures investigators had obtained from manufacturers and dealers, DSI director-general Paisit Wongmuang said on Friday.
The Customs Department checked the import taxes of 30 cars and reported that the tax paid was short by about 650 million baht, Pol Col Paisit said.
The revelations are the latest in a case that has called into question the origins and legal status of most of the high-priced cars sold to the country's rich and famous. As well, the public is questioning how the law could be flouted so regularly and so brazenly without Customs and other authorities knowing about it.
Among those caught in the net so far is luxury car importer Intarasak "Boy Unity" Techaterasiri, who faces a fraud charge in relation to the sale of untaxed vehicles. He is currently free on bail.
DSI deputy director-general Korawat Parnpraphakorn said that in one case, an investigation showed that 11 new Lamborghini Aventador cars had been imported from the United Kingdom but eight had been reported to Customs as Gallardo models that were 50% cheaper.
As a result of the false declaration, the government lost import tariffs totalling 132 million baht. But when the cars were registered with the Land Transport Department, they were declared as Aventador models, Pol Lt Col Korawat said.
The DSI also found that two Lamborghinis had been imported as completely built units but reported as imported and reassembled parts, which carry much lower tariffs.
The price of one car body was declared at 300,000 baht and that of its engine at 38,000 baht, which was cheaper than a motorcycle. As a result, each Lamborghini was taxed at only 900,000 baht, Pol Lt Col Korawat said.
The taxes paid on the two Lamborghinis was 38 million baht lower than what should have been paid. Both caught fire on a trainer in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima in 2013, in an incident that first attracted authorities' suspicions.
The tariff for reassembled cars is only 80% of their declared prices while that of completely built units was 328% of prices.
In light of such deception, the DSI plans to ask the Customs Department to check the taxation records of 300 luxury cars. They include 166 cars the DSI already impounded, he said.
At least 15 of the impounded cars have been reported as stolen from Britain.
Customs director-general Kulit Sombatsiri said he had fired some corrupt customs officials involved in the tax evasion. He also said fake invoices with prices 10 times lower than actual ones had been presented to evade tax.