A Frenchman went on trial yesterday at Phnom Penh Municipal Court for allegedly breaching the trademark of a company he had been working for in 2011. Pich Vicheathor, municipal court judge, said yesterday that Thomas Herbaut, 45, former vice president of Smile Dragon Asia, was charged with trademark infringement.

 

According to the judge, the municipal court found the suspect and his partner, Bruno Dubigeon, 47, former president of Smile Dragon Asia, guilty and sentenced both men in absentia last year while both men were at large. The court then issued warrants for their arrest. On Saturday, Mr Herbaut was arrested by police in Phnom Penh and requested a retrial.

 

Tim Sopheap, lawyer for Smile Mini Mart, said that both suspects were originally shareholders in the company she represents, an umbrella company that was founded in 2011 to operate mini marts across the capital. She said that while working for the company, Mr Dubigeon and Mr Herbaut formed Smile Dragon Asia to be in direct competition with Smile Mini Mart.

 

read more https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50492064/frenchman-on-trial-over-trademark-infringement/

 

 

-- © Copyright Khmer Times 22/05

There is a difference between Copyright and Competition. If they stole the product design maybe but let's face it, an umbrella is an umbrella, pretty hard to copyright the design. They could have thought of a better name I'll have to say that.  However, locals hate the comp.  Here too.