thailandedition
Chinese Capital Monopoly of Thai Logistics and Highway Bribery

Chinese Capital Monopoly of Thai Logistics and Highway Bribery

MGR Online•General•1h ago

Reader Briefing

Chinese investment groups are systematically taking over Thailand's land transport and logistics chain through nominee companies and price wars.

  • •Chinese trucks are illegally operating in southern Thailand, reaching as far as Nakhon Si Thammarat, exceeding the agreed CBTA routes.
  • •Chinese operators utilize a 'total monopoly' model involving strategic warehouse acquisition in the EEC and the use of nominee shareholders.
  • •Chinese trucks offer transport rates of 20–25 baht/km, significantly lower than the Thai standard of 35–45 baht/km.
  • •The prevalence of nominee Chinese trucks is facilitated by a 'highway sticker' bribery system that allows them to evade weight and GPS regulations.

Overview

  • •Chinese trucks have been detected operating outside agreed cross-border routes in Lang Suan District, Chumphon Province, and Thom Phannara District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
  • •Registered Chinese brand trucks in Thailand grew from approximately 6,000 in 2023 to 8,473 in 2024, with estimates suggesting over 10,000 including nominees.
  • •Statistical projections suggest Chinese truck registrations could reach 15,000 to 18,000 by 2025–2026 due to the influx of EV Trucks.
  • •Chinese operators lower costs by using trucks priced at 1.8–2.2 million baht, compared to Japanese or Thai brands costing 3.5–4.0 million baht.
  • •Thai ten-wheeler operators in three strategic economic routes have lost 30–40% of their market share.
  • •The Cross-Border Transport Agreement (CBTA) covers six countries but does not permit routes extending to the lower southern region of Thailand.
  • •Chinese capital is acquiring and renting strategic warehouse spaces in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) including Chonburi, Rayong, and Chachoengsao.
  • •Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn revealed a highway bribery system involving over 200,000 trucks with an annual value of 10,000 to 20,000 million baht.

Full article content is available on the original source.

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Source: MGR Online (Original)

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Key Quotes

Thongyu Khongkhan
"Those goods from China almost entirely use Chinese transport vehicles through nominee companies... if there are no proper countermeasures, Thai operators will certainly suffer greatly."
สินค้าจากจีนเหล่านั้น มีการใช้รถขนส่งสินค้าของจีนเกือบทั้งหมดผ่านบริษัทนอมินี... หากไม่มีมาตรการรับมือที่ดีพอ ผู้ประกอบการไทยเดือบร้อนหนักแน่นอน

Key Entities

Person

Thongyu Khongkhan(ทองอยู่ คงขันธ์)
President of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn(วิโรจน์ ลักขณาอดิศร)ℹ️
List MP of the People's Party and former MP who exposed the highway bribery system.
Anutin Charnviroon(อนุทิน ชาญวีรกูล)
A government official questioned regarding the lack of national agenda measures against Chinese logistics monopoly.

Organization

Land Transport Federation of Thailand(สหพันธ์การขนส่งทางบกแห่งประเทศไทย)
An organization providing data on the influx of Chinese trucks and warnings about the impact on Thai operators.
Department of Land Transport(กรมการขนส่งทางบก)
The government agency responsible for truck registration statistics and transport regulations.
People's Party(พรรคประชาชน)
The political party to which Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn belongs.
Ru Tan Chin Epic Fury(รู้ทันจีน Epic Fury)
A page that published content regarding Chinese trucks appearing in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Place

Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)(เขตส่งเสริมเศรษฐกิจพิเศษภาคตะวันออก (EEC))
A strategic economic zone covering Chonburi, Rayong, and Chachoengsao where Chinese capital is acquiring warehouses.
Chumphon(ชุมพร)ℹ️
A province in southern Thailand where Chinese trucks were intercepted in Lang Suan District.
Nakhon Si Thammarat(นครศรีธรรมราช)ℹ️
A southern province where Chinese trucks were reported operating illegally in Thom Phannara District.

Policy

Cross-Border Transport Agreement (CBTA)(ข้อตกลงเดินรถระหว่างประเทศ (CBTA))
An international agreement covering transport between Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China.

Law

Land Transport Act(พ.ร.บ. การขนส่งทางบก)
The law that Chinese operators avoid by using Thai nominee shareholders.