Police Target Pirates To Win Favour In Us

[george]

Police target pirates to win favour in US

BANGKOK: - Police will crack down on pirated goods in Bangkok and other tourist destinations to convince the United States that Thailand is serious about protecting intellectual property rights (IPR). Pol Maj-Gen Suchart Kanchanawisith, chief of the Economic and Technological Crime Suppression Division, said the crackdown would hopefully convince the US to take Thailand off an IPR watch list.

The Office of the US Trade Representative has placed Thailand and four other countries _ South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia and New Zealand _ on its watch list for alleged poor IPR protection since 2002 resulting in widespread distribution of pirated goods.

''I believe that if Thailand is taken off the watch-list, the US and other foreign trade partners may set up more manufacturing factories here. This will increase trade and investment and create more jobs,'' said Pol Maj-Gen Suchart.

He said police had already arrested thousands of distributors of pirated goods in Bangkok and other major cities. However, such arrests failed to deter those engaged in this illegal trade. Many resumed their illegal business soon after court convictions, while many others managed to escape punishment by agreeing to pay compensation to IPR holders.

Since January, police have seized pirated goods worth about eight billion baht, including cassette tapes, compact discs, cell phones, electrical appliances and clothing. About 80% of the seized goods were smuggled into Thailand from neighbouring countries, said Pol Maj-Gen Suchart.

Thailand has now become a primary destination for criminal organisations seeking new bases to control the illicit business, he added.

Yongyoot Srisattayachon, head of the Intellectual Property Crime Bureau, under the Justice Ministry's Department of Special Investigation, said the new campaign would target major producers and distributors _ those holding up to five million baht worth of pirated goods.

Mr Yongyoot said over the past year his bureau had seized all types of pirated goods worth nearly 200 million baht. The goods were being stored at the bureau pending court orders for their destruction.

Mr Yongyoot expressed concern about the wide availability of pirated goods in border districts such as Mae Sai in Chiang Rai province, Mae Sot in Tak, Aranyaprathet in Sakaeo, and Sadao in Songkhla.

More officials would be deployed in border areas to monitor the activity of IPR violators and coordinate with local authorities to suppress them, he said.

The bureau has also trained students to act as its informants, he added.

-- Bangkok Post 2005-10-05

[ovenman]

BANGKOK: - Police will crack down on pirated goods in Bangkok and other tourist destinations to convince the United States that Thailand is serious about protecting intellectual property rights (IPR).

That time of the year again, eh? Anybody have a count of the number of crackdowns Thailand has had thus far in an attempt to convince the United States (and others) that it is serious about protecting intellectual property rights?

[sabaijai]

Police target pirates to win favour in US

BANGKOK: - Police will crack down on pirated goods in Bangkok and other tourist destinations to convince the United States that Thailand is serious about protecting intellectual property rights (IPR). Pol Maj-Gen Suchart Kanchanawisith, chief of the Economic and Technological Crime Suppression Division, said the crackdown would hopefully convince the US to take Thailand off an IPR watch list.

The Office of the US Trade Representative has placed Thailand and four other countries _ South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia and New Zealand _ on its watch list for alleged poor IPR protection since 2002 resulting in widespread distribution of pirated goods.

''I believe that if Thailand is taken off the watch-list, the US and other foreign trade partners may set up more manufacturing factories here. This will increase trade and investment and create more jobs,'' said Pol Maj-Gen Suchart.

He said police had already arrested thousands of distributors of pirated goods in Bangkok and other major cities. However, such arrests failed to deter those engaged in this illegal trade. Many resumed their illegal business soon after court convictions, while many others managed to escape punishment by agreeing to pay compensation to IPR holders.

Since January, police have seized pirated goods worth about eight billion baht, including cassette tapes, compact discs, cell phones, electrical appliances and clothing. About 80% of the seized goods were smuggled into Thailand from neighbouring countries, said Pol Maj-Gen Suchart.

Thailand has now become a primary destination for criminal organisations seeking new bases to control the illicit business, he added.

Yongyoot Srisattayachon, head of the Intellectual Property Crime Bureau, under the Justice Ministry's Department of Special Investigation, said the new campaign would target major producers and distributors _ those holding up to five million baht worth of pirated goods.

Mr Yongyoot said over the past year his bureau had seized all types of pirated goods worth nearly 200 million baht. The goods were being stored at the bureau pending court orders for their destruction.

Mr Yongyoot expressed concern about the wide availability of pirated goods in border districts such as Mae Sai in Chiang Rai province, Mae Sot in Tak, Aranyaprathet in Sakaeo, and Sadao in Songkhla.

More officials would be deployed in border areas to monitor the activity of IPR violators and coordinate with local authorities to suppress them, he said.

The bureau has also trained students to act as its informants, he added.

-- Bangkok Post 2005-10-05

Nothing about pirated books. Bookshops on Khao San Rd and virtually all of the farang-owned bookshops in Chiang Mai sell hundreds of counterfeit books each week, everything from the lastest bestsellers to popular guidebooks.

[mrbojangles]

Nothing about pirated books. Bookshops on Khao San Rd and virtually all of the farang-owned bookshops in Chiang Mai sell hundreds of counterfeit books each week, everything from the lastest bestsellers to popular guidebooks.

Don't give them more ideas Sabaijai, i'm already worried that the price of DVD's is going to go up

[JustAnotherFarang]

Sometimes I get to thinking that that is the whole point of these crackdowns. Everytime they start a new campaign, whatever it is that they are targetting seems to shoot up in price........ somebody is profitting handsomely from this and its rarely that the guys at the bottom of the ladder.

JAF

[cdnvic]

Don't forget that at major department stores like Kaad Saen Kaw you can buy copies of the movies that are playing in the cinema one floor above.

Even in the "proper" places you never know what you're getting.

Nothing about pirated books. Bookshops on Khao San Rd and virtually all of the farang-owned bookshops in Chiang Mai sell hundreds of counterfeit books each week, everything from the lastest bestsellers to popular guidebooks.

cv

[britmaveric]

More comedy.... he's on a major roll!!!

Edited October 6, 2005 by britmaveric

[Pattaya_Fox]

Even in the "proper" places you never know what you're getting. 

cv

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just been a crackdown in Hong Kong....and some of the major stores who profess to only selling genuine very expensive designer pieces of jewellery have been found to be selling fake pieces with famous names such as Cartier etc.

So not only the corner street vendor is selling fake goods....it is probably endemic throughout Asia.

For many of the smaller items such as cd`s and books etc. the reason behind this growing fake market is contributed to by the greed of the brand owners who have these items mass produced and manufactured by cheap labour, usually in the far east and then want to market them at extortionate prices and make huge profits.

Moderation in prices maybe one way to help stem the flow of counterfeits.

[udon]

Another crackdown!

Thailand, the hub of crackdowns, is anyone keeping count of the crackdowns ?