Bangkok (VNA) - The Thailand Supreme Court has upheld a rulingthat the local unit of Toyota Motor Corp owed the government 10billion baht (272.11 million USD) in extra taxes for importing components notsubject to a reduced tariff.
The court agreed with the previous decision that the importeditems should be treated as complete knock-down kits, with an 80% tariff rate,instead of as auto parts, meaning they were not eligible for a reduced rate of30% under the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA).
In a written statement, Toyota's Thailand unit said it was payingthe lower tax rate for imported Prius parts based on JTEPA, but it respectedthe ruling and would comply.
The additional tax was owed on more than 20,000 Prius vehiclesassembled at Toyota's Gateway factory between 2010 - 2012, according to earliermedia reports.
Toyota also produces gasoline-engine and hybrid-engine Camrysedans in Thailand, which were not subject to additional tariffs because themajority of parts are procured locally./.