Thai Police Target Piracy Rate

[webfact]

Police target piracy rate

Jirapan Boonnoon

The Nation

The Economic Crime Investigation Division of the Royal Thai Police aims to reduce the country's software-piracy rate among businesses and organisations from 73 per cent in 2011 to 70 per cent this year.

Pol Colonel Chainarong Charoenchainao, deputy commander of the ECID, said the division this year was focused on acting against companies and organisations that had acted contrary to laws governing intellectual-property rights and downloaded illegal software in their operations.

The ECID expects to move against about 2,000 companies and organisations nationwide.

"This year, we have direction to raid business organisations that violate software privacy both in [Greater] Bangkok and upcountry. We plan to raid and arrest [officials in] about 2,000 businesses and organisations in Samut Prakan, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat provinces in the near future," Chianarong said.

"We aim to be No 1 in Asia in terms of the reduction of business-software piracy, [aiming to cut the rate] from 73 per cent to 70 per cent by the end of this year. Thailand is currently No 2 for the highest reduction rate, after Hong Kong."

The official said that last year, 184 business organisations were found to have infringed on personal-computer software copyrights, representing a loss of Bt538.7 million to copyright owners. This compared with Bt472.5 million in 2010, when 158 businesses were raided.

Last year's figure reflects a 14-per-cent increase in infringement value. The value could have been higher if it had not been for the flood situation, which resulted in a pause in raid activity, he said.

Forty-two of the 184 business organisations raided had assets of at least Bt100 million, while 15 had revenue in excess of Bt1 billion apiece.

During the past year, two US-owned business organisations were raided, representing a combined Bt1.6 million in infringement value.

-- The Nation 2012-01-18

[belg]

i guess, with dvd copies sold at any street corner and even in shopping malls, what will they achieve? those sellers can only operate if the grease the right while at the BIB

[pauljones]

Investigators could start by checking the tables next to the police box at Sukhumvit, Soi Nana.

These vendors sell fake DVDs, porn, fake watches, etc. in plain view of Lumpini Police.

These vendors have landlords.......City officials. They rent these tables out to the vendors and in fact, charge allot more if they sell illegal stuff.

[ETatBKK]

big effort :-) only 2,000 companies, by random or by target ? there will be 100 times more companies using illegal software out there ! and of course 100,000 times more 'fakes' on the street !

one incident a year ago : agent of Ado*e and police officers 'tried' to raid Pantip. while they were scanning inside the building, an 'high rank' army with trucks of soldiers arrived at the entrance. then, of course operation dismissed.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

The point isn't to stop piracy in Thailand on the supply side, that's completely impractical and not IMO in anyone's interest.

The software vendors and their representative associations put a lot of money into these "corporate raid" operations in order to use fear of sanctions to try to increase their revenues from those that can afford it. I'm sure they will also target foreign-related businesses as well to make for good examples and help the Thais save face.

Ordinary Thais and smaller businesses that could never afford Western rates for software will be left alone.

Careful crossing borders too of course. . .

[astral]

Sorry, the sw manufacturers are partly to blame here.

They want people to use their sw and it is even being taught in high schools.

I have come across two instances this year were early teens are being asked to

1. Generate this table on your computer using MS Word

2. Using Adobe Photoshop..........

How are school children, or even an average parent supposed to justify the cost

of MS Word or Adobe Photoshop, without resorting to pirated sw

I also blame the schools.

It would be much better to teach the children using open source sw

like Open Office and GIMP. The basics are the same and later converting to MS or Adobe

will be quite straightforward.

[ozzieman05]

big effort :-) only 2,000 companies, by random or by target ? there will be 100 times more companies using illegal software out there ! and of course 100,000 times more 'fakes' on the street !

one incident a year ago : agent of Ado*e and police officers 'tried' to raid Pantip. while they were scanning inside the building, an 'high rank' army with trucks of soldiers arrived at the entrance. then, of course operation dismissed.

New to me

Can you provide a link so I can read about this ???

[chrisinth]

Sorry, the sw manufacturers are partly to blame here.

They want people to use their sw and it is even being taught in high schools.

I have come across two instances this year were early teens are being asked to

1. Generate this table on your computer using MS Word

2. Using Adobe Photoshop..........

How are school children, or even an average parent supposed to justify the cost

of MS Word or Adobe Photoshop, without resorting to pirated sw

I also blame the schools.

It would be much better to teach the children using open source sw

like Open Office and GIMP. The basics are the same and later converting to MS or Adobe

will be quite straightforward.

100% agree with that Astral. I have also seen it and quized it. I was told that all the software, including operating systems, in this specific english programme was legit, which it may well have been (though I strongly doubt it).

When asked how the kids were supposed to complete homework using software such as Photoshop (retails around $600 for one licence), was told that it was available everywhere.

This is a big problem here in Thailand, where software such as Photoshop. Acrobat, MS Office are readily available that it is taken as second nature to get the computers loaded up with it.

The use of open source software is the way to go in starting to educate the next generation. For those of you that haven't tried it, enlighten yourselves, you may be well surprised!

[ETatBKK]

one incident a year ago : agent of Ado*e and police officers 'tried' to raid Pantip. while they were scanning inside the building, an 'high rank' army with trucks of soldiers arrived at the entrance. then, of course operation dismissed.

New to me

Can you provide a link so I can read about this ???

this was shared by a Thai ajarn in Chula, who works in a big IT dealer in Bangkok. could imagine this is not a single incident.

[firestar]

Ordinary Thais and smaller businesses that could never afford Western rates for software will be left alone.

Careful crossing borders too of course. . .

I wouldn't be so sure, a small internet cafe next to a restaurant I like to eat at was closed the other day, owner told me they seized his computers because he didn't have valid windows licenses. He faces a penalty of xx xxx per pc. This is/was a small business out of the tourist area.

[ETatBKK]

It would be much better to teach the children using open source sw

like Open Office and GIMP. The basics are the same and later converting to MS or Adobe

will be quite straightforward.

The point isn't to stop piracy in Thailand on the supply side, that's completely impractical and not IMO in anyone's interest.

Ordinary Thais and smaller businesses that could never afford Western rates for software will be left alone.

Careful crossing borders too of course. . .

the use of open source applications is well supported, especially in the school environment !! asking kids to get illegal applications for the homework, is a deep sin of being a teacher. this is basically brain washing the kids from ABC.

in the business, I considered buying applications outside Thailand. then noticed that some applications ( including those from MS, few from Adobe ) are a bit slightly cheaper in Thailand than those in neighbouring Asia countries ( Singapore, Hong Kong . . . ). well, on the packaging, labelled 'for south east Asia only'.

having said that, the cost of legalise all applications is still at a very high cost proportion in a Thai business, considering they are based on Thai rate. after all, the 'middle man' get the 'fat' margin :-(

[quandow]

55555! I TRIED to buy a legit copy of XP a year ago, absolutely could not find one. I know, I know, I can go to Billy Boy and get an online license, but the point is that I could not find one initially in LOS.

[jobsworth]

Download and install Debian, firefox, thunderbird, with gimp and open office etc.

It is all free, compatible and legal.

[scn]

Linux Mint 12 is great for a desktop. Currently is the top Desktop Linux Distribution. (Ubuntu Based)

For Debian lovers there is a Linux Mint Debian Edition (LDME)

www.distrowatch.com

www.linuxmint.com

For Server Debian would be more suitable as it is more stable.

There are a lot of Free Open Source Software that even large businesses can use (enterprise strength!).

Whether it is Accounting, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Industrial Strength Fax Server, Point of Sale systems, Hospital Management Systems etc. etc. etc. you can find a good open source (Free) alternative.

If you like what your using you can donate to the development communities.

Although occasionally these require some sort of concerted effort to get them working, there is a lot of help out there via Documentation, Community Forums etc.

I am a small Business Owner and use 100% open source software. I had one Windows XP machine (Licensed Copy) which refused to wake up one fine morning 4 months ago and since have been using only 100% Free software.

If anyone need any more information or help, you can contact me!

Edited January 19, 2012 by scn

[Pib]

A 3% reduction goal this year in software piracy from 70 to 73%....pretty aggressive goal--NOT!!!...sounds more like lip service. Heck, keep up this goal and in 10 more years the software piracy rate will be down to a mere 43%....and them give them another decade and it will be down to 13%....yeap, lip service.

[piewarmer]

I'm wondering how many government departments have fully legit software.

My guess...none.

[thunder30101]

Until the software industry adopts the policy of every other industry being that if you sell a defective product the customer is entitled to a return of their purchase money for the defective product. Many Many years ago I grew tired of paying money for software full of bugs and bad code only to be told there is a patch or fix coming but no refund, only to wait and and wait and get another piece of crap for my money. I also wonder how MS, adobe etc expects people in countries (which are numerous) that live on under 10 dollars a day(and many much less) to be able to afford their products. Most top software especially windows is the same source code for the last 10-20 years with the new versions including only window dressing so how do they justify the prices ??? I say F em and their rip off industries.

[ETatBKK]

I'm wondering how many government departments have fully legit software.

My guess...none.

did you mean include this one ?

'the Economic Crime Investigation Division of the Royal Thai Police'

The Economic Crime Investigation Division of the Royal Thai Police aims to reduce the country's software-piracy rate among businesses and organisations from 73 per cent in 2011 to 70 per cent this year.