SPDC doubles up automobile’s tax

 

Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA)

 

May 13, 2005

 

After the military regime SPDC seized the unlicensed cars, it’s Ministry of Transport also doubled the tax payment for ordinary licensed cars countrywide, said car owners.

“Before the government seized the unlicensed cars, the price of a car ‘Hilux’ brand (produced by Japanese company) was 8 million Kyat (~ 8, 500 US Dollar) and now the price increased up to 15 million to 20 million Kyat (~ 16, 000 US Dollar to 21, 000 US Dollar).   And the government also doubles the tax from the car owners”, said a car trader, Mr. Nai Blai, from Ye town in Mon State.

He also explained that recently the different amount of tax that the car owners have to pay to the regime was: 10, 000 Kyat for Chinese truck, 8, 000 Kyat for a Japanese Hilux car and 180, 000 Kyat for a six-wheel truck car respectively.  Now, the tax amount increased to 30, 000 Kyat for Chinese truck, 300, 000 Kyat (~ 330 US Dollar) for a Japanese Hilux car, and 500, 000 Kyat for a six-wheel truck car respectively. 

“We used unlicensed cars before, it is good.  We don’t have to worry much for tax and just fill gasoline and used them.  But now, they (the SPDC authorities) must arrest those types of cars”, said Mr. Nai Soe Aung, who is a car driver in Rehmonnya Transport Company.  

Tax extension program has been conduced by the Ministry of Transport in every township since the beginning of April, last month.   Unlikely to the past, the SPDC allow tax payment for license permission just for one-year and the car owners have to extend their license for their car on every year basis.   If they don’t apply for extension of license, their cars can be labeled as ‘unlicensed’, and must be seized.  

For the cars which have license, the Ministry of Energy’s Township department also sells them 7 gallons gasoline each month for each car.  

For the business of ethnic ceasefire groups, the SPDC especially during the former MP Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, allowed car trading on the border points of Thailand and China borders with Burma.  Since then the number of unlicensed grew in Burma and were used in cities like Rangoon and Mandalay.

After Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt was dismissed from his position in October 2004, the regime has handled the problems of unlicensed cars and ordered those who belonged this type of car to turn up and hand over to the regime.  The authorities also seized some cars in Mon State and Karen State including the cars that the people donated to the senior Buddhist monks.

The regime also set March 31 2005 as a deadline for car owners to hand over their cars.  Thousands of cars in countrywide were handed over to the regime and some cars were forcibly confiscated.   The seizure of cars has created shortage of transport vehicles and luxury cars in Burma and the price of cars suddenly increase.

 

For further information please contact to imna_news@yahoo.com , www.monnews.com


Tel: 66 (0) 1 3659140,

       66 (0) 9 2072825,

       66 (0) 1 180 9605

Please visit Burma News International Web-site: www.bnionline.net, in which IMNA is a member.