Li Weidong came to Bangkok again and met with President Song En of the Thai Agricultural Association.

"President Song'en, I heard that you are not satisfied with the current contract terms? You want to make changes." Li Weidong asked directly.

Song En smiled and nodded: "We do have a small request. Mr. Li should still remember that this batch of orders worth 5 billion baht originally belonged to Japan's Kubota Company, right? But due to some special changes,

, the final order was transferred to your company.”

Li Weidong certainly knew what Song En said, and Li Weidong was behind the farmers' protest.

Just listen to Song'en continue to say: "The reason why we chose to cooperate with Kubota at that time was because we wanted to build a railway connecting Bangkok and Chiang Mai. This railway can greatly promote the economic development of our country, and Kubota has

Will help us promote the construction of this railway.

Although Kubota did not get the order in the end, they still made a lot of advance preparations for this railway. This included a batch of trains that were intended to be used on this railway.

Now we need to transport these trains back to China. The original plan was that Kubota would be responsible for the transportation costs, but since Kubota has lost this order, they have no obligation to transport these trains to Thailand.

Since your company replaced Kubota and got the order of 5 billion baht, I hope that your company can also perform its duties on behalf of Kubota and transport this batch of trains back to our country, Thailand."

"It turns out it's to make us pay the freight!" Li Weidong nodded in realization, and then thought about it, this Thai guy even bought the train, so why couldn't he pay the freight?

So Li Weidong said: "Although Japanese trains are very advanced, they are not cheap, right?"

"I don't know the specific value." Song En shook his head and continued: "These trains were provided to us free of charge by Japan. We are only responsible for transporting the trains back to China."

"Giving it to you for free?" Li Weidong was slightly startled and thought to himself that there is such a good thing. How can the Japanese be so kind and give away the Thai train for free without any money?

Seeing Li Weidong's questioning look, Song En explained: "The trains the Japanese gave us are not new, but ones that Japan has eliminated. The Kyushu Shinkansen in Japan in the past two years was exactly

When it started operating, the replaced passenger trains were given to us."

"Kyushu Shinkansen?" Li Weidong recalled carefully. The Kyushu Shinkansen newly opened a few years ago uses the latest 700 series electric multiple units.

After World War II, with the development of automobile technology, the carrying capacity of automobiles became larger and larger, and road transportation gradually became a major way of transporting goods.

In Europe, the area of ​​each country is not large. If you drive a truck, you can transport goods to all parts of the country in one day. In the United States, the gradual improvement of the highway system in the mountains has also allowed road transportation to flourish.

During that period, railway transportation was considered by Westerners to be a backward transportation method that would inevitably be eliminated.

However, the Japanese decided to resume railway transportation and build faster and higher-standard railways. This decision was not only controversial in Japan, but also ridiculed by European and American countries.

Finally, Japan took the opportunity to host the 1964 Olympic Games and successfully built the first Shinkansen, the Tokaishima Shinkansen connecting Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

This Shinkansen seems to announce the rise of Japan to the world.

What was used at that time was the original 0-series electric multiple unit. The operating speed was about 200 kilometers per hour, which was equivalent to the intercity EMUs we use now. However, the stability of the vehicles was far behind. At least mineral water

It will wobble.

After entering the 1980s, Japan developed the second-generation Shinkansen, the 200 series electric multiple units. The speed of this series can reach 240 kilometers per hour, which is similar to our current ordinary multiple units.

In terms of stability, the 200 series Shinkansen can already hold a cigarette case without falling over.

In the mid-1980s, Japan developed the third-generation Shinkansen, which is the 100 series electric multiple unit.

I have to say that the Japanese are really confused about the naming of Shinkansen. The original model was called 0 series, which is no problem. The second generation is simply called 200 series, which is acceptable, but the third generation is not called 250, nor is it called 250.

300, instead it was called 100 series. I really don’t know what the Japanese were thinking at that time. Obsessive-compulsive disorder would definitely not be able to bear it.

In the early 1990s, the Shinkansen 300 series reached an operating speed of 270 kilometers per hour. The subsequent 400 series and 500 series improved in performance. During this period, Japan also developed the E2 series and E3 series, among which the E2-1000 type EMU

The group is Harmony’s CRH2 electric multiple unit prototype car.

Entering the 21st century, the Shinkansen 700 series was officially put into use. This will also be the main model used in Japan in the future. By 2022, Japan's Shinkansen will still use this series.

After the 700 series, the research and development of the Shinkansen also slowed down. This is like Japan's national strength, which has entered the lost thirty years and can only rely on resting on its laurels and remembering the glorious past.

When the 700 series was first put into operation, it was replaced by the 100 series trains. Thinking of this, Li Weidong immediately asked: "Mr. Song'en, is the train that Japan gave you the Shinkansen 100 series that they just eliminated?

"

"How is this possible! How could the Japanese give us the Shinkansen train? Even if it is an obsolete Shinkansen train, they will not give it to us."

Song En shook his head with disdain, and then said: "Japan has adjusted the Shinkansen and increased the transport capacity, so the passenger transport on ordinary lines has been reduced accordingly, and a batch of 183 series trains have been eliminated and given to us.

.”

"The 183 series is Japan's main diesel model! If it is relatively new, it can still be used for decades!" Li Weidong said.

"The Japanese told us that the vehicles are 90% new. If they are carefully renovated, they can still be used for another fifty years." Song En replied.

"Renovation?" Li Weidong instantly guessed the Japanese's intention.

The Japanese often donate second-hand machinery and equipment to Southeast Asian countries, including second-hand trains.

Japan's railway system is very developed. At least before the emergence of the China Renaissance, Japan's railway system could be regarded as the best in the world.

Therefore, the second-hand trains that Japan has eliminated and sent to Southeast Asian countries are still high-end goods and are much more advanced than the old trains in Southeast Asia.

But the Japanese trains are not given away for free. Although the trains are free of charge, subsequent renovation fees and maintenance fees are all charged, and they are still charged according to Japanese standards.

For example, in terms of train parts, original Japanese parts must be used. Not only do they have to be imported from Japan, even the repairmen must be Japanese technicians. The round trip expenses plus working hours and travel expenses are definitely a lot of money.

.

Even if the trains cost no money, the Japanese can make money back through subsequent maintenance and repairs, even more than simply selling cars.

Until 2000, Japan's per capita GDP exceeded that of the United States, so Japan's labor costs were higher than those of the United States at that time.

Based on Japan's labor costs, if the obsolete trains are scrapped in Japan, the money from selling the scrap metal may not be enough to cover the labor costs of recycling.

It is definitely more cost-effective for Japan to directly send second-hand trains to Southeast Asian countries and then earn a subsequent maintenance fee.

Li Weidong once made second-hand machinery and equipment, so he naturally knows the ropes inside.

So Li Weidong asked, "President Song'en, the cost of renovating the train shouldn't be cheap, right?"

Song En nodded: "Although the Japanese renovation quotation is very high, it is still within an acceptable range. However, based on past experience, the final cost may be three to five times the quotation! After all, the technology of the train is mastered

In the hands of the Japanese, they can easily find excuses to increase prices."

"If the maintenance cost is too high, it is better to just buy a new one!" Li Weidong said with a smile.

"We have conducted actuarial calculations. If the maintenance cost reaches five times the actual quoted price, it will really cost about the same as buying a new train." Song En replied.

The Thais have also been doing business with the Japanese for many years. On weekdays, they are often tricked by the Japanese, but they are often tricked by the Japanese. Naturally, they know what kind of medicine the Japanese sell in their gourds.

Even Li Weidong, a person who resells second-hand machinery and equipment, knows how the Japanese make money by selling second-hand machinery. How could Thai people who have been cheated many times not understand it?

For example, this time the Japanese gave away the train for free. The actual renovation price must be far higher than the Japanese's initial quotation.

This is also a habit of the Japanese when doing business with backward countries. They give a relatively normal price first, and then find excuses to increase the price.

For example, when buying a set of equipment, the original quotation was 10 million for installation. After the equipment was purchased, Japanese technicians started to find faults when they came to install it. For example, it is too cold in winter, too hot in summer, and too dry in spring.

It's too dry in autumn, so this equipment can't be used.

If you want to use it, that's fine. First solve the problems of too cold in winter, too hot in summer, too dry in spring and too dry in autumn. If you can't solve it, then just spend money and let Japanese engineers improve the equipment.

Anyway, the technology is in the hands of the Japanese. If you buy something, if you want to use it normally, you must rely on the technical services provided by Japan, and you will have to pay more. This is clearly bullying the buyer who has no technology.

Li Weidong thought for a while and then said: "President Song'en, since you already know that the train Japan gave you is to make money from you, why do you still accept it? And you also have to spend money to transport the train back.

"

"Our Agricultural Association is an official organization after all. We have to consider the friendly relationship with Japan. We cannot directly refuse the gift from Japan." Song'en replied helplessly.

"Understandable!" Li Weidong nodded.

In the past few decades, Japan has been Thailand's largest investor. Even if Japan's investment led to the outbreak of the Asian financial crisis, Thailand still did not dare to offend Japan, the father of the fund, so the train sent by the Japanese would

Knowing it was a trap, Thailand could only accept it with tears.

However, there is no free shipping for items sent from Japan. Thai people have to spend their own money to transport them, which is quite depressing.

If the goods were better than before, then it would be fine to spend money to transport them back. However, these trains are clearly money-losing goods, and they will have to pay maintenance fees before they can be used. Naturally, Thai people are not willing to pay this money.

This is like a door-to-door waste collector. If the goods are profitable, then the waste collector will definitely be happy to come to the door. If the goods are heavy and worthless, and the floor is high and there is no elevator, not only will they not be able to sell the goods, but the seller will also have to pay a transportation fee.

.

The Thais couldn't refuse the Japanese, and they didn't want to be taken advantage of by paying the freight, so they found Li Weidong and planned to pass the freight to Fukang Agricultural Machinery.

This additional shipping fee was not included in the original contract. From a purely commercial contract perspective, Li Weidong could certainly refuse.

But from a business perspective, Li Weidong really can't save the shipping cost.

If Li Weidong does not agree to bear the freight, not to mention there is no possibility of cooperation in the future, even this order will be in trouble. The order of 5 billion baht has only completed more than 2 billion, leaving 20

Li Weidong still has to earn more than 100 million baht.

So Li Weidong asked: "Mr. Song'en, how much is the freight for these trains?"

"The shipping fee from Japan to Thailand is about 50 million baht." Song En answered.

"That's equivalent to 10 million yuan!" Li Weidong nodded silently, which was within the acceptable range.

I previously took over a business of 5 billion baht from the Agricultural Association, and the 50 million baht it paid out was only 1%, which was even less than the rebate that was being given.

But at this time, Li Weidong had other plans.

Li Weidong asked: "Mr. Song'en, I can bear the freight. But after these second-hand trains are shipped to Thailand, do you know that you will have to pay the Japanese to repair them?"

Song En shook his head: "The maintenance fee is too expensive, we can't afford it!"
To be continued...