Customs Department
Issues concerning
customs regulations, f.i. on unclaimed/abandoned cargo,
on empty container control, etc. remained unsolved problems. BSAA has
called a meeting among members to discuss these issues and come up with a
list of the prevailing problems which we hope to address with the Customs
Department. We also intend to present these issues to the special committee
set up by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA). The planned implementation
of the customs paperless EDI manifest was also indefinitely suspended. We hope
to discuss various practical problems with the Customs Dept. before it is implemented.
Revenue Department
When deduction of withholding tax on freight was introduced
in 2001 BSAA tried in vain to persuade the Revenue Dept.
to allow shipping agents to deduct the withholding tax instead
of the shippers. This has been an administrative burden that
caused undue expenses to the members. Taking the opportunity
of a special committee being set up by NLA to review impractical
regulations, BSAA intends to address this problem with the NLA committee.
Maritime Law
Following a BSAA members meeting to review various maritime
laws and draft bills it was agreed that the draft bill on
amendment to the COGSA B.E. 2534 was beneficial to the
shipping industry. BSAA has proposed this draft bill to
the NLA committee for passing into law.
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