Foreigner Held For Taping Hit Movie

[yeti]

If an a**hole is using a flash in the theater where I watch a movie I certainly tell the staff. It's horrible enough having people doing their phone calls during a movie, so a flash

Anyway Tom Yam Goong is already available on every P2P network, guess that's the way to know it's a big success. Producers should be proud of this

[~G~]

Let me get this straight...  a lone tourist snaps a 2.5 minute grainly low-resolution clip of a Thai movie and gets handcuffs, while elsewhere nearby perfectly reproduced DVDs of American films fly off shelves at 80 baht each with nary a police officer in sight?

Chuck

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why do you think no police officers are in sight? Actually they are on-site, visiting these places regularly, getting some extra income.

[silk123]

I hear there is equipment used by theaters that scans the audience and detects video recorders nowdays.

This kid sounds fairly innocent but I bet the movie is already on Cable in Cambodia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Startrek

The only Thai movie I've ever seen was when i was holiday in the Us. It was 'the King and I" and was the greatest load of boring crap that i quietly walked out after about 30 minutes. The only time i've ever walked out. That was before i came to thailand.

Oh i watched the sex scene of that big buget one Somrealoldthai.

And also a stupid ghost one on a bus. Cheap cheap &lt;deleted&gt;. woooo bloody peasants. give me coffee.

[thaibebop]

I hear there is equipment used by theaters that scans the audience and detects video recorders nowdays.

This kid sounds fairly innocent but I bet the movie is already on Cable in Cambodia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Startrek

The only Thai movie I've ever seen was when i was holiday in the Us. It was 'the King and I" and was the greatest load of boring crap that i quietly walked out after about 30 minutes. The only time i've ever walked out. That was before i came to thailand.

Oh i watched the sex scene of that big buget one Somrealoldthai.

And also a stupid ghost one on a bus. Cheap cheap &lt;deleted&gt;. woooo bloody peasants. give me coffee.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You 've confused me. A Thai movie playing in the US that was the King and I?

[newns.m]

You guys must know someone who does it well. I have never come across a bootleg that was worth a fiver. But than I am an audiophile, videophile, kind of guy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

£5!!! last time i bought a shed load only 100baht each,cracking quality.Even here in sunny England they are selling 3 for a tenner.

Martin

[pazu]

The King and I definitely isn't a movie with a Thai production team, the government, and most Thais actually didn't agree the theme of this movie. Thais watched it mostly because it was banned in Thailand and once it was banned it would be better than any other kinds of advertising.

And about the question of how an optical projector could produce hi-q digital output, the answer is easy. I saw some DVDs with a funny subtitle of "this is an academic preview" or what, for critics or some other related people as a preview copy, though these copies are strictly controlled, mafia always have their ways to get that out and make some money.

[francois]

the top bootlegers pay the projector operator and plug into the digital output straight off the projector so there is little loss in quality of their rips.

hi'

at least someone who knows how it goes on the real scene ... cam-release are crap! true, but some that we find in torrent-sites are of a pretty good quality

I still don't understand why try to get a bad copy when you can find either the real one(paying for) or get a proper one over the net ...

and release the guy! he's just a dummy, no harm or may be because it was a thai movie

and to be a bit honnest, one should get a movie only when it has been released on commercial dvd, as we all know that they make their money back already .. and more than this for most of the time, and in the past we could copy any vhs from a friend without any problem ...

so

francois

[thaibebop]

You guys must know someone who does it well. I have never come across a bootleg that was worth a fiver. But than I am an audiophile, videophile, kind of guy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

£5!!! last time i bought a shed load only 100baht each,cracking quality.Even here in sunny England they are selling 3 for a tenner.

Martin

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

5 US dollars. Most dvds in US run from 10$ to 25$ give or take. Freedom ain't cheap.

[The_Moog]

Earlier this week a topic entitled 'Bootleg DVDs' was closed by Meadish Sweetball for the old 'its illegal' reason.

Now this topic, in which everyone is chipping in about where to buy copy DVDs (including Moderators) is proceeding with gusto.

[thaibebop]

Go figure!

[ilyushin]

Do it the old navy way " kill him til he's dead"!

Unacceptable behavior. Can't have a Cambodian copycat on Thai turf.

Beer for the cause, because!

[ovenman]

This is just the usual dog and pony show where the powers-that-be arrest some small fish so them can get a photo-op to show they are doing something about the problem.

[kevf]

Do it the old navy way " kill him til he's dead"!

Unacceptable behavior.   Can't have a Cambodian copycat on Thai turf.

  Beer for the cause, because!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When it's reported in the Cambodian papers it will start off anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh again ! The Thai business's in Cambodia will be pleased.

[newns.m]

Earlier this week a topic entitled 'Bootleg DVDs' was closed by Meadish Sweetball for the old 'its illegal' reason.

Now this topic, in which everyone is chipping in about where to buy copy DVDs (including Moderators) is proceeding with gusto.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

GOOD THOUGH,ISN'T IT!!!!!!!

[Scott]

I almost always buy legal DVD's--if they are copies, I don't know it. Just too many bad experiences with the illegal ones, poor quality etc. If I want to see a movie enough to buy it, it makes sense to go with the legal ones. The price difference isn't that much.

I would be interested in knowing what the law is here. I know with a lot of things, the copyright laws apply only to copies being made for commercial purposes. For example, you can copy a CD to play in your car and it's legal. Can't, however, sell it to anyone or give the copy to anyone.

Exactly what law did this guy break? I know stupidity hasn't been outlawed yet!

[breconman]

Where have you guy's been for the last 2 years here is the tech lowdown on what happend at the Movies. Modern screens are manufactured by covering the surface with tiny optically correct glass beads cut for a certain frequencey.

This gives better light/color reflection of the image focused upon it, and all round clear vision, now here is the clever bit, the screen is also able to capture any digital camera switched on and pointing to it, with me so far?

next a signal is sent to the offending camera ( behind screen transmitter) which causes a flash, this alerts the staff that a film is being copied. But it gets better.

Next the camera sends a phone call to the local police to alert them that an offence is taking place at a certain movei house, this also baked up by the ability of the camera to attach itself signal wise to GPS which is linked to police HQ

The rest is history the Police turn up and an arrest takes place.

So now you know the facts

Breconman

The wise one.

[MrSnrang]

Hey guys,

If the police cuffs some one, you are complaining, they don't you are complaining too! That it was again a foreigner, maybe they are to stupid too do it the Thai way.

And by the way elligal is elligal, so don't do, only because many Thais do too.

I'm a musician, and I hate when people tell me, they are making copies from my CD. Should give the dead penalty for such offence!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the songs were genuinely good, people would still go see their shows.

[kvstudios]

Hey all. NoOb here.

Just wanted to say this article does seem kinda far fetched. Doesn't sound like the guy wanted to make copies of the film and engage in all out piracy.

This does however help to instill into me, watch my P's & Q's. Oh.. and refrain from flash photography. *Doh*

Also: silentsoundcentre

Should give the dead penalty for such offence!

A bit extreme, don't ya think!

[bklyngal]

Hey Thaibebop,

You obviously do not have the good hook up for bootlegs.  I have a great one off of Silom if you need it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great, would love the location. The copies I bought were about half bad......I am going to bring them back in Sept. when I return

Thanks a bunch

[treefrog]

Hey Thaibebop,

You obviously do not have the good hook up for bootlegs.  I have a great one off of Silom if you need it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great, would love the location. The copies I bought were about half bad......I am going to bring them back in Sept. when I return

Thanks a bunch

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey Guys, why so behind the times? I download everything off the internet - usually press-review copies - for free! And there are bootlegs of everything too - some are rubbish quaiy, but if you're paying nothing you can't complain, can you?

[DaveYo]

He is a tourist from Cambodia, and said he had no knowledge he was breaking (and again in Thailand their secret laws) their laws. Filming what only certain clips of a movie worth only 2.5 minutes worth is not filming the entire movie folks.

I think this dude got set up since the others somehow slipped out before the police came??????? Think about what was said in the beginning.

Anyone can do this in America and this is not copyrighting so to speak. Heck people go to where they are physically filming a movie right smack in town with the actors and the whole gizmo and they don't get arrested for that in all the years I have known since I have been born.

This is a deal that again Thailand wants more money from visitors and however small it may be they will try to find a way to get it.

My two cents worth. This time the ahem (american slang) the pigs over did it.

[DaveYo]

Interesting, so the screen picks up any camera pointing to it or movie camera. Great, then all the person has to do is simply disable any flash capability on such camera, and presto, no flash.

So next question would be now what happens if no flash is detected??????? Ah ha????!!!!!!

Something does not add up here. All this makes no sense on the tech part.

[sanook2me]

Oh dear dave oh!

hopefully you were teasing, it twas a wind up !

I loved going to the movies in Bkk it was such a treat so cheap and plush! especially if you paid to go into the expensive theartre and got the full works,

electric reclining seats, 20 people max, blanket to get cosy under with Thai chick and my favourite the sub servient waitress with the complimentary non-alcoholic cocktail ! plus different flavours of fresh popcorn..

UK cinema. stale popcorn over priced and no flavours except sweet, no seating allocation, no mall to wander about playing addictive 10 baht match the thingies games! god i miss Bkk.

copied movies I stopped buying them too many bad quality ones decided UBC at B1,500 per month was a better investment with live premiership football games!

back home in blighty, cable to expensive so no footy games going to the cinema way to expensive ! where are the copied movies? not available as the nanny police are in control ! wicked world !

[cutter007]

the top bootlegers pay the projector operator and plug into the digital output straight off the projector so there is little loss in quality of their rips.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But why would an optical film projector in an optical cinema have a digital output? I am not saying it wouldn't but I can't think why it would have one.

I'm not trying to flame bazmlb for his comment either - he may be perfectly correct, and perhaps these projectors do have a special output that is used for electronic monitoring or something - quite possible... although I wouldn't expect anything like that to be very high quality...

Just wondering, because in order to have a high quality digital video output, the projector would have to have sophisticated electronics built in - not cheap either. I can't think of any reason for a projector manufacturer to do this as the electronics required are VERY expensive if the output is to be high quality.

As far as I have heard, they also get hold of copies of the original high quality DVD and copy that - in fact you may have seen the identification supers warning that the copy they are watching is a promotional copy only - so this is another source of early copies - often prior to, or just at the same time as, the movie is released in cinemas.

Just as a matter of interest, a high quality digital telecine chain (the machine that scans film and outputs a high quality digital video signal) usually runs to a bit less than a million US$, including the colour grading equipment (used to "tweak up" the picture to compensate for the limitations of the digital video environment compared to the original optical copy). These machines are mainly used in post production houses to move material shot on film into the electronic environment for editing etc.

I think the police may have over-reacted a little here - certainly the guy should be fined as it is against the law, and they do have a warning telling people not to bring cameras into the cinema, but this is obviously for his own use, so perhaps they could be a bit lenient.

If it has been mis-reported, and he actually had a video camera with capacity to record the whole movie, and that was what he was doing, then fair enough, he deserves whatever the court decides.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your right, I can say with some certainty that projectors in Thailand do not have a digitial outputs.

As that type of technology would be quite expensive, and there is no practical use for it to justify that kind of costs.

[greenwanderer108]

Hey guys,

If the police cuffs some one, you are complaining, they don't you are complaining too! That it was again a foreigner, maybe they are to stupid too do it the Thai way.

And by the way elligal is elligal, so don't do, only because many Thais do too.

I'm a musician, and I hate when people tell me, they are making copies from my CD. Should give the dead penalty for such offence!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've never heard you sing or play music but I can tell already that you're a fake musician...in it for the wrong reasons. Like when Metalica took a public stance against the Napster epode. Your type of attitude sickens true musicians who aren't in it for a business profit...If people were copying my stuff...I'd be flattered and thankful that I have fans who want to listen to my music... You sound like you could care less about your fans...as long as you and your record label gets paid right!!! You should get the death penalty for breaking the musicianship code---of using music as a vessel for fame, vanity, and profit!!!

You sound ignorant of law and ethics. So marijauna is illegal and cigarettes are legal. Even though the marijauna is natural and has proven theraputic medical application/benefits, and cigarettes are chemical based for the purpose of addiction and mass profits, etc., sounds like your reasoning is cigarettes are ok cause they are within the law, while marijauna is bad because it is mostly out of the law...

Take in ethics class, wildnerness solo, or something

This is just the usual dog and pony show where the powers-that-be arrest some small fish so them can get a photo-op to show they are doing something about the problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly!!! Now they can pat themselves on the back during an all-night/shift-well -deserved coffee break, for they have appeased the media for atleast a month...murders, drunk driving, prostitution, nah, they're on top of it. After all, that Cambodian was actually filming the clip for study purposes to use against Thais.

Tom Yum Goong....the only reason why all these people having been cracked down on is cause of the the production teams big baht. What was the budget for this film...like 200 million baht. What a waste!! Story-line that sucked....over exagerated action and effects. Bad humor, amerature actors/actresses...i can go all day about my disapointment as a movie critic.

I just want to tell anybody thinking about going to see it or even worse taking your phone camera to get a clip...that this movie isn't worth squat. Lots of investment and promotion...Lots of wind up...no pitch. Unlike Ongbak which had a quarter of the budget, and more believable, impressive, and worthy.

[Tolley]

Not sure why anyone would bother to copy anything from that movie.

I had the misfortune to sit thru it last night....It doesn't even deserve half a star.

Puerile.

[The Skipper]

His buddy sitting next to him probably had the real digital video camera, when confronted the other guy says, just 2 minutes on my phone recorder sir, look. Is that a crime?

Meanwhile the friend is in Pnom Penh flooding the market with the good copies.

The judge will throw out the case, he gets a free ride back to the border.

[Maestro]

Cinema employee Sitthiporn Charoenkwan said management had been tipped off about the erstwhile copycat after the camera flash disturbed others in the theatre. His three friends slipped out of the theatre before police arrived

Camera flash? on a movie camera?

Yeah I was wondering about this one too....

Probably that tiny little red LCD that flashes on and off while the video camera is in recording mode.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello

I saw on thai TV they had a guy in the police station in handcuffs (thai guy) because he too "taped that movie" .... TEN SECONDS OF IT with a mobile phone! They even showed the "clip" that guy "produced"..... a typical ten-second phone video clip as it is used to send as a MMS message to some other phone.

Wow what a criminal offence.

I see the headlines: CRACKDOWN ON CAMERA PHONES. Bangkok, TIT: The government has announced it's new crackdown on camera-equipped mobile phones because of all that movie bootlegging that's going on. Any cinema customer will be body-searched and any camera-equipped phone will be confiscated and can be retrieved after the movie upon payment of a 150 baht storage fee. Foreigners are eligible to a 500 Baht storage fee. If the phone has disappeared while in safekeeping, the friendly cinema staff will assist in giving directions to the MBK shopping complex where the phone may be found on the fourth floor at one of the stalls. Violators will be thrown in jail for approximately 10 years and in case of foreigners, will be deported and stamped "persona non grata".

Just my two satang.....

Thanh

[Maestro]

The only Thai movie I've ever seen was when i was holiday in the Us. It was 'the King and I"

That was a Malaysian production and the only Thai actor in it was subsequently ostracised in Thailand, or so I was told.

The film is an insulting distortion of Thai history, say the Thai authorities, based on an equally distorting novel written by a British nanny, employed by the royal household at that time, a frustrated spinster who invented an exciting story for her own satisfaction and/or to make herself look important. From a descendant of a person in the know at that time I understand that this was indeed the case, that this lady had an unimportant position at the court and made up the whole story.

If you want to read a captivating novel that comes closer to the truth of historical Siam, get "The Falcon of Siam", which is set in the period of King Narai, about a Greek who became Minister at the royal court. Legend has it that there was, in fact, a Caucasion minister during that period.