History of the first Thai tuk-tuk in the Netherlands

I have previously written two articles about the characteristic Thai means of transport, the tuk-tuk, which have appeared on this blog. The first was an article about the origin of the samlor, for which the idea came from Japan, see www.thailandblog.nl/transport-traffic/history-van-de-tuktuk

That article did not mention a tuk-tuk in the Netherlands, that only happened in an article about a Dutch entrepreneur who produces tuk-tuks in Bangkok according to European standards. See www.thailandblog.nl/background/nederlandse-tuktuk-thailand-global-tuk-tuk-factory

In that last article it is said, among other things, that in 2007 someone started obtaining approval and a permit to drive the Thai tuk-tuk in the Netherlands and other European countries. At the time, I thought that the tuk-tuk was making its first acquaintance with the Netherlands. That was completely wrong thinking!

Martin Vlemmix

Martien Vlemmix, now director of Mascotte Thailand and also founder and chairman of the Thailand Business Foundation (formerly MKB Thailand), recently posted a photo on his Facebook page of a front page of the newspaper De Stem from 1989. This shows that he, or actually the family business Vlemmix Etalage from Breda introduced the first tuk-tuks in the Netherlands. I wanted to know more about that and asked Martien for further explanation, this is his story

The first Asia trip

At the time, Martien and his older brother Ad worked for their family business Vlemmix Etalage in Breda, which traded in mannequins (mannequins) and other decorative material for shop windows and other advertising purposes. In the late XNUMXs, the brothers made their first trip to Asia. The reason was an invitation from a factory in Japan that manufactured mannequins, where Vlemmix Etalage regularly bought mannequins for Dutch customers.

“Because when Asia was just “on the rise” and the business world was buzzing with rumors that people had to go to those parts for good purchasing, we decided to make it a kind of voyage of discovery right away. We visited 5 countries in two weeks, from Japan to Thailand. We came to each country for the first time, so it was really an exciting trip without knowing whether we could ever recoup the high costs,” said Martien.

Bangkok

The conclusion of their journey was in Bangkok, where Martien and Ad spent only a day and a half. “Like any tourist, we had seen or heard of tuks-tuks before, but now we saw them in real life.” Their first impression was that a tuk-tuk was very decorative. It was something new and would certainly stand out in their field where shops and companies are constantly looking for new ways to improve the sales of their products.

First exclusive distribution contract in Europe

Martien and Ad saw good opportunities for the tuk-tuk and rushed to the factory, Polasith Tuk Tuk in Bangkok on the second and last day. The address of the factory was simply obtained from a taxi driver. They immediately concluded an oral contract for exclusive import throughout Europe. The owner of the factory had never sold a tuk-tuk to Europe.

Family consultation

Back in the Netherlands, family consultations were held and, if only because of the decorative possibilities of the tuk-tuk, it was decided to place an order for 8 tuk-tuks in 5 different models. The idea behind it was that the tuk-tuks could be placed in shops and shop windows as attention grabbers, if necessary without an engine, etc. That seemed more than enough to defend the investment at the time. “The tuk-tuks cost about US$3500-4000 at the factory and we took that risk.”

Publicity

Martien: “At that time I regularly read the weekly magazine Aktueel and I knew that there was a separate section for special cars in that magazine. I carefully contacted the magazine to get something about the tuk-tuk in that section. A reporter reacted enthusiastically when he heard that the tuk-tuks would come to the Netherlands and promised to publish 4 full pages about it right away. At that time we had never really had to deal with the press and thought this was good for advertising our company….in mannequins and materials…..

Meanwhile, the daily newspaper De Stem had also heard that we were going to import this and even wanted to have the scoop on this story. We were surprised and pleased that people saw this as great news and therefore became increasingly enthusiastic ourselves.”

Paperwork and costs

When the two containers with the tuk-tuks were in the port of Rotterdam, the paperwork really started. Customs considered the tuk-tuks as motor vehicles, so BPM had to be paid. License plate or not was irrelevant and the argument that the tuk-tuks would only be used as decor found no favor with customs. That was already a considerable amount and then the costs for the normal, high import duties and of course the VAT were added. With the costs for sea freight and transport to Breda added, it was still an expensive project.

Introduction

The introduction of the tuk-tuk took place on the Grote Markt in Breda. It was overflowing with press on the planned date, all major newspapers were present including the ANP. No TV yet, that came later.

“The fact that the revised 256cc two-stroke Daihatsu engines (from Japan) left behind an enormous smoke with waste oil only made it more spectacular. At least we got the attention we wanted. Healthy or not….”

No license plate

Initially, Vlemmix Etalage focused the sale of the tuk-tuks on potential customers who wanted to drive them around on their own property. On private property, such as large campsites, holiday parks, golf courses, etc., a license plate was not necessary. In the meantime, the municipalities of Oosterhout and Breda had granted permission to organize tours, so without license plates. .

Says Martien: “Maybe, in hindsight… easy to talk…. Should we have left it at that. In terms of advertising costs, it had already paid off for a long time because we had never had so much free press attention for our company.”

Application for license plate registration

Nevertheless, the idea of ​​getting a license plate for the tuk-tuk stuck, especially when it turned out that a type approval would only cost 400 guilders upon inquiry with the National Road Traffic Agency. “We knew a lot, we were not in the car trade or other technical trade and to have the tuk-tuk registered for a license plate for that 400 guilders, so that it could also be driven on public roads, seemed attractive to us. It would only increase the sales opportunities.”

Examination

“In a great collaboration with two inspectors from the National Road Traffic Service, we finally managed to do it. The men were very enthusiastic to finally be able to inspect something special instead of the boring standard cars”, says Martien. The tuk-tuk was finally approved under the law on three-wheeled motor vehicles, which were then allowed to have a two-stroke engine.

That approval did not go without a hitch, a total of 12 things had to be adjusted / changed on the tuk-tuks. They had to be limited in speed, so no faster than 40 Km and that even had to be secured in two ways, mechanically and digitally. Furthermore, 11 other things such as limiting the steering wheel, moving the battery, etc. etc. Those changes were neatly carried out by a garage company in Breda, but in the meantime the costs were of course running. Martien: “The top of the test was the test drive in Lelystad on a real test track with sloping corners for high speeds. And that for 40 km per hour… that was a laugh”.

Television

Martien says: “Meanwhile, the attention of the press continued and we were repeatedly on TV. Special attention in a program by De Heilige Koe van Veronica, who filmed the tuk-tuk at the KMA castle in Breda. We have also been in various other TV programs, in which we found attention in the NOS news to be the pinnacle.”

Sales

When the tuk-tuks actually came on sale and about 10 had already been sold, the price had risen to almost 12.000 guilders. Martien says that a total of 33 with registration have been sold in the Netherlands, including to rental companies for driving weddings and bachelor parties. Some for tours and also 3 pieces to Veronica to give away as a prize in some quiz.. For that money you could also buy a small car and the net profit margin was rather disappointing at only 800 guilders, so that Vlemmix Etalage made do with that. disregarded. From a business point of view, selling mannequins and other display materials made more money with less effort than a tuk-tuk

Finally

Martien ends by noting that the tuk-tuk adventure, which lasted about 4 years, was fun, but there was money to be made. “However, no one can take away the fun and excitement of this adventure” Vlemmix Etalage went back to business with the sale of mannequins and decoration material.

Things also went badly in that branch later on, but that's another story. Martien sighs: “Well…now I sell Mascot rolling papers in Thailand!

About this blogger

Gringo

Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!

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