Keeping getting pulled over? Try these.

Picture: tuoitrenews.vn

It is common knowledge that the richer you are, the more you can buy your way out of trouble. But what if even phoning a connection or paying a cash ‘fine’ is too much hassle? Well, the super rich in Vietnam have found an ingenious time saving trick – buy your self a diplomatic vehicle!

Diplomats working in Vietnam are allowed to import a vehicle tax free for their personal use, with the cars of choice usually luxury brands such as Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche and Bentley. When they leave, they can then sell off the car as long as they pay the relevant taxes. The super-rich have been buying the ex-diplomatic cars and having the diplomats sign to say the new owner will pay the due taxes.

All ok so far.

However, with diplomatic plates come diplomatic immunity, so the taxes never get paid and the cars never get pulled over. Of the 4,366 diplomatic vehicles on the streets in Vietnam, 1,200 are being driven illegally.

According to an anonymous Hanoi diplomat, speaking to Vietweek, the cars are more often than not being driven by the children of the country’s elites, meaning that the police turn a blind eye.

When I spoke to the police, the problem is that they know who is driving those cars: the children of the elite. So for the police, it is very difficult for them to investigate

So far, only Phu Tho province has made an effort to confiscate illegally driven diplomatic cars.