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

[antsrule]

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.

[antsrule]

If your tired of having pirated software, viruses, S..L..O..W hardware or just tired of Microsoft, MAC and the way of life you must assume to be at their party, switch to UBUNTU Linux and everything is free, fast and not locked down. Setup a private could. Get a XOOM with Googles Android, connect it to your cloud.

The last time I ran Windows (last month) they wanted me to pay for a driver so I could watch movies on windows Media center. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? You think you will miss all this stuff you have come to rely on and it's all there in UBUNTU. Office, chat, browse, my CAD software, and I can watch movies without them constantly stopping to catch up. Yes I have an old machine but it is easily fast enough now. KMA apple and microsoft, I pay no more.

I was worried about losing some software so I loaded on UBUNTU on the same hard drive as Windows. I can boot into either one but now I haven't been back to windows for a week

[moskito]

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.

Let's hope the airplane you fly on next wasn't maintained with counterfeit parts. The trouble with counterfeiters is that don't worry with little things like quality since they have no supervision from government or brand name company. You never know what you'll get.

Making excuses for illegal activity because you save a buck or two says more about your character than you might think.

Not totally true. I give a <removed> if the plastic glas of my motobike or car is a counterfeit product. Normally the garages for cars always ask if you want a copy or an original and if it not an important part like brakes, steering or wheels, I go for the copy and save around 60-70%

you are absolutely right with a plane, China is copying the whole Airbus or Transrapid train atm. You can be sure the wheels of the train are not made of the same steel like the original once and an accident will happend sooner or later BUT there are enough ppl in China, so they see it just as collateral damage....THATS China

[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.

How could you possible know anything about this. Assumptions are not facts ... in fact, they're usually incorrect, or a best inaccurate.

So???????????

[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.

How could you possible know anything about this. Assumptions are not facts ... in fact, they're usually incorrect, or a best inaccurate.

So???????????

[sezze]

As long as they state they are copy , i do not have any problem with it . Some guy having a movie of Johhny Deep , other bought Adobe software which doesn't work . I think you knew it was fake . I bought a couple of fake watches in the past , clearly knowing they were fake and almost all broke down in less then 2 years . The rest of the qualtiy and the design is also not nearly the same as the original item . So in the end i bought a original expensive one . A company bringing out a luxury item , at premium price , should do something in return . Meaning , they have to be sure their quality is up to the pricestandard . For software and movies it is a bit difficult , but for handbags , watches , electronics and many other items it isn;t .

[hhgz]

"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."

No.

[swerver]

Some people say, what harm do the fakes do? If a person can afford the real thing, they will buy it. Anyone who buys a fake iPhone, or Gucci bag is doing it out of vanity, not real need. Were I to buy an iPad, I would buy from Apple, not MBK. The point is, there are no lost-sales at the iStudio. Replica products are exactly what the name denotes. Copies.

Where's the economic damage? I've yet to meet a Thai who can't differentiate the fake from the real thing. I bought a Frank Mueller several years ago at ***, it worked wonderfully, and all our friends in San Francisco were enthralled. The question being; how could I afford to waste so many dollars on a watch. The point is, this watch company didn't lose a sale. I would have never bought the real thing in the first place.

A win / win proposition.

Thaigold - You are one hundred percent correct.

It looks to me all the ThaiVisa submitters before I came to thaigold did spin their wheels about the subject.

The real producers do not loose a single solitary sale.

The real producers should be thankful to the knockoff artist for giving the real producers free advertizing.

But what none talks about is the rip-off from the Real Producers.

I did buy a Set 5-DVD HD camera produced documentary of Planet Earth produced in Great Britain. After closer examination of the box the set comes in, it shows produced USA.

Put it in my DVD player and all I get on the TV - Check area code. Changed my player to Great Britain – incorrect area code on TV. Changed to US – incorrect area code on TV.

So here I spend $125.00 of my money on a product that will not work because the disks were not produced in Thailand with the THA code.

So all you people rattling on about knockoffs you better make sure the REAL stuff you buy will do the job you did intend to use it for.

[TAWP]

Anyone that believes that IP-laws, and specifically trademark laws in this case, has ever been in the best interest of the people or consumers need to open a book once in a while.

[phillies]

(I've got a Johnny Depp DVD which spells his name on the cover; 'Johnny Deep').

sometimes they get the DVD covers mixed up at pantip, you must have got the sexy movie one by accident...

[The Philosopher]

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

So the knock off Game Boy Charger that killed a 12 year old girl in Pattaya last year is OK

[morejunk]

"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.

As I understand it, MBK is directly tied through its management company to a MOST influential family. Kind of doubt that any of the police would ever attempt any legal action.

[jaywalker]

I have a friend that bought a Chinese iPhone.

He had it for 3 days, carrying it in his pocket. The cover broke & it quit working.

3,000 baht for 3 days worth of junk.

Pretty sure that'll be his last counterfeit purchase.

Gotta LOVE these "crackdowns" though.

Nobody seems to be asking the question of how all the garbage got smuggled into LOS in the first place.

Idiots.

BKKPost today.......Kamphaeng Phet.....3 dead cops because they arrested a drunk guy for drunk driving & didn't search him for weapons.

He pulled out a pistol and shot them all.....Of course he waited till they were all in the police car going 80kph on the way to the police station so the police car wrecked & broke his leg = he didn't get away.

Idiots.........

[TAWP]

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

Exactly - end of story stealing is wrong.

If you have a peace of wood and carve a character, and I have a piece of wood and the next day carve a character that looks similar - what did you lose?

There is no theft if there is no loss of property.

[MaxYakov]

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.

I tried one time to buy a REAL, LEGITIMATE copy of Windows XP Media version operating system and could not find one!!!

Did you try contacting the M$ offices (internet-listed on Wireless Road) by any chance?

[MaxYakov]

If you have a peace of wood and carve a character, and I have a piece of wood and the next day carve a character that looks similar - what did you lose?

There is no theft if there is no loss of property.

Keep it simple, but not TOO simple - A. Einstein (attributed-to, emphasis mine)

[MAJIC]

As they were imported copies,it is almost certain to have come from China,

which is where the blame for copies sent worldwide,should rest .

But who will try to sue Chinese Manufacturers? for their massive infringements of intellectual Property?

[diehard60]

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

Are you for real????

[cdnvic]

(I've got a Johnny Depp DVD which spells his name on the cover; 'Johnny Deep').

sometimes they get the DVD covers mixed up at pantip, you must have got the sexy movie one by accident...

[selftaopath]

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

Have you ever heard of intellectual property rights?

Has anyone ever told the Chinese? They copy EVERYTHING - don't they?

[Payboy]

I bought a Frank Mueller several years ago at ***, it worked wonderfully, and all our friends in San Francisco were enthralled.

You sure its a Frank Mueller and not a Franck Muller?

[timekeeper]

I bought a Frank Mueller several years ago at ***, it worked wonderfully, and all our friends in San Francisco were enthralled.

You sure its a Frank Mueller and not a Franck Muller?

it probably is a Franck Mueller .............

[timekeeper]

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.

Johnny Deep? Isn't that a porn star? (Sorry couldn't resist.)

Why aren't there any porn stars named Justin?

i was in a porn movie once, it was based on the classic Wuthering heights, it was called the Full Bronte

it was only a small part though........

[Payboy]

i was in a porn movie once, it was based on the classic Wuthering heights, it was called the Full Bronte

it was only a small part though........

Was that a comeo?

Edited January 14, 2011 by Payboy

[Igor]

i was in a porn movie once, it was based on the classic Wuthering heights, it was called the Full Bronte

it was only a small part though........

There are no small parts, only ... oh, wait...

[bangon04]

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....

Thailand has a full quota of counterfeit police already. (And I don't mean the plastic ones standing at the roadside - the plastic ones actually do a good job for their salaries).

[MRDave]

I download all my own movies, software, latest TV series ect, but I have spend tons of money on original stuff over the years only for the formats to be changed making them useless junk, now everything is in digital form and I can do what I want with it, I remember when a music cds were £15 in England now with piracy as competition the companies can not rip the consumer off like they used to, and original cds can be bought for £7 upwards. I will be on the side of piracy anytime as long as its not counterfeit aircraft parts our medicines after all apple and other companies have been ripping us off for years, Remember when Levis stopped Tesco in the UK from selling their jeans cheap. I for one would like to know how much it costs to make an iphone in china?

[HereIAm]

Action against so-called imitations and fakes happen only when there is big money involved or if it helps achieve publicity for the so-called original brands. There is this stupid thing going on in many countries about not being allowed to play your favourite music in public places like restaurants, or even in a shop you might own, without paying royalties. In one case a singer was even taken away for singing a cover version in a public place.

If drugs were not copied millions would have died of disease or continued to live sick lives. If music CDs were not copied the artistes themselves would not have become so popular. If disk operating systems were not copied computers could not have spread so rapidly. Copies have helped to reduce the world's illiteracy levels. Left to themselves the purveyors of copyrights would only have helped stunt the spread of knowledge to protect their small elitist world. Just what the high priests of most religions ordain.

Artistes need not be worried. Copies only serve to strengthen the artistes' identity, just that they may not be seen adding directly to their financial wealth.

Edited January 14, 2011 by HereIAm

[thairet]

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.

[thairet]

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.

I agree with you totally

Tonmai