Big Joke comes to Pattaya - busts pirates with 4 million baht of merchandise

[webfact]

Big Joke comes to Pattaya - busts pirates with 4 million baht of merchandise

 

Picture: Sophon Cable

 

Crime buster extraordinary Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal turned his attention to Pattaya on Saturday night.

 

Along with a huge team of police from other divisions and agencies he raided 40 locations in the resort's leading Thepprasit Market.

 

The cops grabbed 10,000 brand name and fake items ranging from perfume, watches and bags to shoes clothes and electrical goods.

 

It was all worth between three and four million baht.

 

Maj Gen Surachet - once again referred to as Big Joke in the Sophon Cable TV story on Facebook - said that this was a joint operation between the Thais and US authorities to stamp out copyright piracy.

 

He said that traders at markets like Thepprasit were buying fake good online and from Sampeng market in Bangkok, a notorious distribution center.

 

Sophon did not report if anyone had actually been arrested.

 

Source: Sophon Cable

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-08-06

[canopus1969]

Talk about shooting fish in a barrel !

[bluesofa]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Maj Gen Surachet - once again referred to as Big Joke in the Sophon Cable TV story on Facebook - said that this was a joint operation between the Thais and US authorities to stamp out copyright piracy.

Can't see any "US authorities" in the photo-op, just to make sure the goods were impounded and don't reappear elsewhere later?

 

btw, if it was a 'joint operation', did it all end on a 'high'?

 

[Vacuum]

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said that traders at markets like Thepprasit were buying fake good online and from Sampeng market in Bangkok

Why not raid the 'source' first? Perhaps it/they have thicker envelopes?

[Henrik Andersen]

Copyright is fin with me 

but every market are full of copy stuff where do they get it from 

china 

and on the border Cambodia Indochina market 

[sammieuk1]

A parrot called Jim lad would look good on BJ'S shoulder to complete the photo opp.?☠️

[off road pat]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Can't see any "US authorities" in the photo-op, just to make sure the goods were impounded and don't reappear elsewhere later?

 

btw, if it was a 'joint operation', did it all end on a 'high'?

 

Hmm,...Wouldn't surprise me if the goods would be resold at a price to the vendors, that makes everybody happy!!!

A win win situation for both sides.

[Darcula]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

A parrot called Jim lad would look good on BJ'S shoulder to complete the photo opp.?☠️

 

At least, he got a wooden leg in Pattahaha.

[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, Darcula said:

At least, he got a wooden leg in Pattahaha.

Wooden middle leg?

 

[sammieuk1]

9 minutes ago, Darcula said:

 

At least, he got a wooden leg in Pattahaha.

Looks like they all took the fruit pastel challenge the last one to chew gets the tea money ?

[balo]

Pity I missed him , would have asked for a selfie with Big Joke.  

 

[Redline]

I guess it’s easy to be top cop when you are the only one working 

[Jack Mountain]

There goes his good name ...

[Justgrazing]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Sophon did not report if anyone had actually been arrested.

No worries .. Big J's finger's have multiple suspects in the frame .. 

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed

[IAMHERE]

"...from Sampeng market in Bangkok, a notorious distribution center...."

Is this market within walking distance of BTS or MRT ?  I'd like to go check up on this Pirate Hub.

[mlmcleod]

This is just low hanging fruit since they can't seem to catch many western men with overstays.  Every market in Thailand is brimming with cheap Chinese knock-offs of copyrighted brands!  It is amusing to see that it is tolerated everywhere until BIG JOKE came along.

 

I still applaud his effort!

[janclaes47]

2 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

No worries .. Big J's finger's have multiple suspects in the frame .. 

Seems he's focused on the two on the left.

[observer90210]

And what happens to the "confiscated" goods ? looks that some people will soon be dressed in full fashion trend style with brand new apparel !

[observer90210]

7 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Why not raid the 'source' first? Perhaps it/they have thicker envelopes?

Might be a bit tricky to raid AliExpress  suppliers !

[apophyss]

I was thinking he works at TOURIST-POLICE...

(i mean to take care tourist)

[KneeDeep]

The USA is putting pressure on Thailand to protect their intellectual property. As they are doing to China by raising tariffs. The feeling that China got rich off the back of western brands. So this is just to show that they are doing something, however little.

[gaff]

What did he steal from the sellers ?

 

 

[mikebell]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Along with a huge team of police from other divisions and agencies he raided 40 locations in the resort's leading Thepprasit Market.

I wonder why he didn't ask Pattaya police to join in the raid?  Surely their local knowledge would have been invaluable?

[thaichiro]

BJ for PM...vote early, and often!

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, thaichiro said:

BJ for PM...vote early, and often!

Hmm, sounds like some vote-buying scam being undertaken at a short-time bar.

 

[dabhand]

Seemingly this bust came with an interesting twist, as told to me by a normally reliable source.

As is usual in these raids, advance warning had been given and a number of stall-holders flew the coop ahead of the arrival of the BIB (mainly Bangkok finest). However some of the counterfeit sellers decided to hold firm and merely removed the offending articles to an off-site location.

However, apparently some advance work had been done by the BIB. They had come armed with photos taken the previous week and were able to snare these innocent looking sellers who thought they could escape being fingered for illegal sales.

 

Now, if this account is correct, it may cause problems to the multitude of vbloggers who make a habit of wandering around such markets with their cameras in full (or partial) view. They may be seen in a slightly different light and be the subject of a bit of aggro. Now, wouldn't that be a shame!!

[pegman]

On August 6, 2018 at 4:37 AM, IAMHERE said:

"...from Sampeng market in Bangkok, a notorious distribution center...."

Is this market within walking distance of BTS or MRT ?  I'd like to go check up on this Pirate Hub.

Take the metro to Hua Lamphong train station. It's a good walk west so might be better to get a Tuk Tuk from there if walking is a problem. I like to wonder around ChinaTown every few months.