Seized yacht finally auctioned off

PHUKET TOWN: The sailing yacht “Bin Cha Cha” was finally sold at auction this morning at the Phuket Customs Region 5 office, after two previous attempts to sell it last year failed. Niwat Triemsantipap, the assistant general manager of the Maiton Resort, acquired the 7.9-meter yacht with a bid of 200,000 baht, just one third of its original reserve price of 600,000 baht. This is K. Niwat’s second purchase from a Customs office auction. In November, he acquired the nine-meter speedboat “Seafarer” for 720,000 baht. K. Niwat was the only bidder. Satien Kamkubkij, the customs officer in charge of the auction, said, “It was necessary to sell this boat now because we are no longer willing to pay the expensive dockyard rent of 280 baht a day.” “Bin Cha Cha” was seized by Customs officials in August last year for alleged non-payment of Thailand’s crushing boat import taxes, which were 209% when the seizure was made. Customs have held four sparsely attended boat auctions since March of last year, selling four vessels for a total of 7,039,000 baht.