Bt10M Worth Pirated Products Seized In Bangkok MBK, Indra Square Raid

[webfact]

PIRATED GOODS

Bt10m worth products seized in MBK, Indra Square raid

By Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai

The Nation

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) seized 23,000 pieces of counterfeit iPhones, iPads, cellphones and brand-name clothes worth Bt10 million from five shops in Bangkok's Indra Square and MBK Centre, senior officials said yesterday.

DSI chief Tharit Pengdit and Pol Colonel Pravesana Mulpramook, director of the DSI Intellectual Property Crime Bureau, said yesterday that initial investigation showed the five shops, all called Zirtel, were owned by a private firm. DSI was checking to see if a politician or influential figure might be involved. The company's board members will face charges and most of them have already contacted DSI to surrender.

As for owners of the retail space, the DSI has warned them that if violators of the intellectual property law were arrested on their premises again, the landlords would also face legal action. The shop managers were initially charged with selling counterfeit products carrying patented trademarks and would be sent along with evidence to police.

Mala Tangprasert from the private sector's committee for intellectual property prevention and suppression said the company in question was part of a major network importing counterfeit products and caused the government to lose income from related taxes and caused consumers harm from using bad-quality products.

-- The Nation 2011-01-13

[beano2274]

So destroy the items, before they get misplaced and find themselves back on the shelves of some VIP's shop.

Why not get Apple involved to prosecute as well, this then sends a bigger message to those who copy products.

[pipo1000]

So destroy the items, before they get misplaced and find themselves back on the shelves of some VIP's shop.

Why not get Apple involved to prosecute as well, this then sends a bigger message to those who copy products.

Do you really think that if Apple had not ordered this investigation,this event would have even happened.

[cat5]

It's about time they did a raid on Pantip and Yaowarat but clearly those guys are still paying their backhanders.

[brahmburgers]

Be interesting to scrutinize the busting authorities' computers and households. I'd bet dollars to donuts they all have pirated stuff in their homes ....software in their computers, DVDs, etc.

Fact is, we all have pirated stuff around the house. I'm not justifying it, but it's just the way things are. And yes, it can get overdone, and there are inherent problems. Pirated software often has malware, pirated DVD's are often poor quality (I've got a Johnny Depp DVD which spells his name on the cover; 'Johnny Deep').

I also produce copyrighted material: several books, some music, and an audio book, - so am concerned about piracy from the other end of the trough. I'm not big selling author, but even the little guys (like me) don't want their material copied and sold cheap - particularly if the copies are poor quality.

The other side of the coin are the stratopheric residuals paid to entertainment stars - some making tens of millions per year. For most people, there perhaps no such thing as 'too rich' but come on, a million dollars per 1 hour episode for acting in a sit-com!? It's factoids like that which make it ok, in my view, for impoverished folks to get some entertaining DVD for $1 instead of $15.

[steffi]

Given that True markets and sells iPhones in Bangkok I'm wondering if they considered any of the grey market imported iPhone "counterfeit" or not.

Be interesting to scrutinize the busting authorities' computers and households. I'd bet dollars to donuts they all have pirated stuff in their homes ....software in their computers, DVDs, etc.

Fact is, we all have pirated stuff around the house. I'm not justifying it, but it's just the way things are. And yes, it can get overdone, and there are inherent problems. Pirated software often has malware, pirated DVD's are often poor quality (I've got a Johnny Depp DVD which spells his name on the cover; 'Johnny Deep').

I also produce copyrighted material: several books, some music, and an audio book, - so am concerned about piracy from the other end of the trough. I'm not big selling author, but even the little guys (like me) don't want their material copied and sold cheap - particularly if the copies are poor quality.

The other side of the coin are the stratopheric residuals paid to entertainment stars - some making tens of millions per year. For most people, there perhaps no such thing as 'too rich' but come on, a million dollars per 1 hour episode for acting in a sit-com!? It's factoids like that which make it ok, in my view, for impoverished folks to get some entertaining DVD for $1 instead of $15.

[hayden5650]

There is nothing wrong with counterfeit goods. It's good competition for the real goods, helping force the legitimate goods' prices lower.

[asdecas]

Only Bt10m's worth? They must have had their eyes closed.

[AZBill]

It's Christmas for the wives, kids and girlfriends of these cops

[Murf]

Someone forgot to pay the New Year "Tea Money" subscription...

[anon467367354]

I think this is a good thing. There seems to be an inherent arrogance and disregard and respect for the laws here. Not only just just the suppliers, but the sellers that that might just be working any job they can get, but go after the force behind those that employ them and the police that are being paid to look the other way. Any politician that is caught being a part of these kinds of schemes should face serious charges for misuse of power and stealing from the the country. Charge them with theft and make restitution mandatory. Over 100 billion baht is lost in the lined pockets of the corrupt every year, that should be going towards the good of the country.

[givenall]

So destroy the items, before they get misplaced and find themselves back on the shelves of some VIP's shop.

Why not get Apple involved to prosecute as well, this then sends a bigger message to those who copy products.

Do you really think that if Apple had not ordered this investigation,this event would have even happened.

These are all done by smock and mirror. It must be because an American or European official is coming to Bkk. Already business as usual in MBK

[Newguy70]

^{If you read the story closely, you will see that the (5) shops in question per the quote}

^"initial investigation showed the five shops, all called Zirtel, were owned by a private firm".

The story would be pay the man on time, or you will not do any business

[fred110]

There is nothing wrong with counterfeit goods. It's good competition for the real goods, helping force the legitimate goods' prices lower.

Exactly! Police should go after real crooks, the violent kind.

[sydneyjed]

We all know they do these raids from time to time and when the dust has setteled and 'negotiations' sorted out with the boys in brown all will return to normality...as it always does!

[Greenside]

There is nothing wrong with counterfeit goods. It's good competition for the real goods, helping force the legitimate goods' prices lower.

Hmmm. The people who actually create things invest time, money and effort to design and bring them to market and although one can get justifiably cynical about say the fashion labels business where the product is often ubiquitous with a price based largely on a famous name "designer" (who probably did no more than sign off on the concept) we'd all be the poorer if no-one was motivated to do pioneering work in the expectation of getting some reward. Also, legit brand owners stand to lose a lot to poor quality knock offs - you may buy a fake Nano or iPad with different expectations from the real thing but probably choose branded tyres with some confidence that the tread won't disintegrate at 120kph on the highway. Think they don't do tyre counterfeits? Try aeroplane spares, drugs, boat parts and electrical components too.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Greenside

[Mousehound]

One argument in favour of quality copies is this. The copies are made and often sold by families of the people that make the genuine stuff. They work in sweatshop conditions for little or nothing to make big western companies rich. In fact these companies would not be able to exist without this cheap labor. It's all about big profits. I have worked in the high end clothing market and believe me they steal from each other and are up to every trick in the book to maximise profit. Copyright etc is a fascinating area. The big debate now is that the bio labs should have ownership and copyright on your DNA as they identify it. Will the big companies of the future be raiding MBK to confiscate pirate clones we have made of ourselves? We, by the way will have no say in the matter.

[Payboy]

So destroy the items, before they get misplaced and find themselves back on the shelves of some VIP's shop.

Why not get Apple involved to prosecute as well, this then sends a bigger message to those who copy products.

Do you really think that if Apple had not ordered this investigation,this event would have even happened.

These are all done by smock and mirror. It must be because an American or European official is coming to Bkk. Already business as usual in MBK

Thought I heard something about an evaluation for the 2020 World Expo.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Payboy

[ib1b4]

With all the pirated goods for sale in that loction why is it they only targeted one company?

[eateer]

There is nothing wrong with counterfeit goods. It's good competition for the real goods, helping force the legitimate goods' prices lower.

I used to buy fake stuff all the time. Then i realized that i was just wasting my money, as everything that was a "copy" either didn't work or broke within a few weeks.

[Woolybully]

If prices of originals were lower and thus affordable for those who dont make the big bugs, counterfeit would exclude themselves. To pay up to 900 Baht for an original CD is crazy. Watch a Johnny Depp picture for 1.5 hours and pass it on to friends is not counterfeiting. Apparently yes. Woolybully

[alant]

interesting argument

go copies of articles enhance the value of the genuine or not?

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery etc...free advertising free promotion and of course affordable elevation in stature for those that are sporting the genuine article.

[robinthailand]

Let me repeat, they went into MBK and found 5 shops that sell counterfeit products? Uhm, brilliant! So they left out the other like 3000 shops right next to those. I wonder who tipped them off that there were counterfeit products on sale at MBK?

Guess it is past New Year and the time to pay the tea money has run out. Still, I really don't understand how you can run into a store full of ceramics and come out and say you found one plate.

Counterfeit police, you need to work on that....

[MaxYakov]

There is nothing wrong with counterfeit goods. It's good competition for the real goods, helping force the legitimate goods' prices lower.

Can you cite your source for the assertion that counterfeit goods force legitimate goods' prices lower?

As far as what's wrong with it goes:

1) It's against the law and it's up to members of society to self-police for the most part or face anarchy

2) The counterfeits are usually inferior quality (but not always) forcing the consumer to ultimately spend as much or more in replacement

(I can show you many counterfeit DVDs that were shot from a theater screen and are basically unwatchable)

3) I believe that honest competition is superior to intellectual property theft because the creativity is rewarded and not penalized

4) People justify intellectual property theft to themselves and others using specious and unverified arguments such as yours

5) If the prices of genuine goods are too high ... GO WITHOUT - one will not die because they haven't seen a movie or worn a fake watch

[AZBill]

There is nothing wrong with counterfeit goods. It's good competition for the real goods, helping force the legitimate goods' prices lower.

Exactly! Police should go after real crooks, the violent kind.

Like the Police!

[backsoon]

So destroy the items, before they get misplaced and find themselves back on the shelves of some VIP's shop.

Why not get Apple involved to prosecute as well, this then sends a bigger message to those who copy products.

Nothing to get excited about... all in a day's work.

One thing only makes me curious: Why police is checking if any politicians or influencial people are involved? (see OP). Are they not sure of what exactly the action should be taken to save some faces?

[Sonkind]

So destroy the items, before they get misplaced and find themselves back on the shelves of some VIP's shop.

Why not get Apple involved to prosecute as well, this then sends a bigger message to those who copy products.

Do you really think that if Apple had not ordered this investigation,this event would have even happened.

If apple was involved it would have insisted that all "unauthorised resellers" be closed and fined as well ie the shops that sell Ipad's Iphones without a apple account.

As this was only one firm that was closed I guess they missed some payments or upset someone they should not have. These KIRF (keeping it real fake) products do not harm the brand imo, it simply puts a "designer" brand in the reach of people that could not afford it, although you get what you pay for.

[hungryhippo]

I think this is a good thing. There seems to be an inherent arrogance and disregard and respect for the laws here.

I agree there is disregard for the law.. on both sides. If the police don't follow the law then why should the citizens?

[junglist]

There is nothing wrong with counterfeit goods. It's good competition for the real goods, helping force the legitimate goods' prices lower.

Exactly! Police should go after real crooks, the violent kind.

that real work they could get hurt or help some one, please keep you thoughts to your self. 555555hahahaha

[MaxYakov]

interesting argument

go copies of articles enhance the value of the genuine or not?

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery etc...free advertising free promotion and of course affordable elevation in stature for those that are sporting the genuine article.

Yes, basically obtaining something one did not labor or cannot pay for.

This attitude seems endemic in societies these days with what is basically

a redistribution of wealth - sometimes by force (government - but not limited to it).

The high-production-quality films have extremely high production costs as with other products which

have high R&D costs. The the investors cannot get a return on these investments

then what?