Actress may pay a price for showing off online
THAI ACTRESS Peechaya “Min” Wattanamontree might face taxes for importing several expensive brand-name bags after the subject of whether she paid customs duties was raised on social media.
The discussion arose after the actress travelled to Singapore to purchase high-end Hermes bags as an advance birthday present for herself, and posted photographs of herself posing with nine boxes and three big Hermes bags.
The photographs raised questions on how she managed to bring so many high-end bags through customs and whether she had paid customs duty as required by law.
For instance, Hermes’ famous Birkin bag costs at least 5,900 euros (Bt230,000) in Europe, where it sells for its lowest price.
A video clip reportedly shows Peechaya entering a Hermes store and having a shop assistant open a box revealing a Hermes Kelly bag. The smallest and cheapest Hermes Kelly goes for about Bt340,000 excluding tax, and the most expensive version goes for Bt440,000.
Kulit Sombatsiri, director-general of the Customs Department, said authorities have contacted Peechaya over the issue, adding that she will be invited to clarify the issue.
“If there is evidence that duty needs to be paid, then the tariff plus fine will be levied,” Kulit said.
According to Kulit, people bringing in items worth more than Bt20,000 in total combined value were subject to import tax and duties. When a passenger comes into Thailand through any airport, the Customs Department has the right to examine their baggage. On average, 130,000 passengers come into Thailand via some 1,000 flights per day.
Meanwhile, Peechaya’s father Supat said yesterday that he was tentatively setting Thursday as the date for a press conference at an orphanage in Nonthaburi’s Pak Kret district to clear up the confusion.
However, he denied claims that his daughter had brought in nine Hermes bags worth more than Bt10 million. “Min brought the bags for herself on the occasion of her birthday and was not evading tax,” he said.
