Airline Passengers Flying Into Thailand To Get Fake-Goods Warning

[TheWalkingMan]

This article literally made me laugh out loud. With all the issues with tourists getting scammed the big boys are able to cobble together something that will warn inbound airline tourists about bringing in fake goods? So the fake designer watch I bought on the streets of Pattaya is ok for me to take out of Thailand, but if I wear it back into Thailand there is a possibility, however slight, that I will be pulled to the side.

No jet ski warnings, no closed temple warnings, no dangerous surf warnings... Just hey! Don't bring fake goods into the country...

[RobertHima]

I have seen a big sign at Chiang Mai internation baggage claim a few months back, with the same warning, about bringing counterfeit goods to Thailand. Looks like they were serious after all..

[shaurene]

Ha!

People bring fake stuff INTO Thailand??????!

Bit scary, what happens if we come back to Thailand like I am in couple days and I have my fake watch on that I bought in Thailand before, this could be a good earner for them if they see watch on your wrist ad say come here where you buy that copy watch and then tell you 1,000bt fine pay now.???

[bangkok blue]

I can just imagine the warning leaflets now. "please don't bring fake goods into the land of fake goods!"

[crazykopite]

Monkeys running the zoo,

GOOD ONE !!!! Why would I bring in a fake product to Thailand when I can pick it up cheaper in Thailand and who are they going to employ to check for all these fake products, whoever thought this up has to be a " BUFFOON " !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jcw]

Life is just getting too easy for not the nation now, all I have to do is copy and paste.

Edited August 31, 2012 by jcw

[Thai at Heart]

The bulk of the fake goods are made in China, not Thailand.

Very wishful thinking that one. DVD's are made from torrents downloaded, watch innards are produced in Thailand, T-shirts, you do know there is a gargantuan clothing industry here?. Why on earth would you bother to involve bribing customs to get it in stuff, when you can make it here.

Absolutely stupid to believe that the amount that can be brought in by suitcase is in anyway significant. To be honest, they would be better off to check the Thai airways crews filling up their luggage with real stuff such as duty free perfumes, handbags and watches for sale in Thailand, as opposed to someone bringing IN anything. One suitcase full wouldn't even fill half a stall on the roadside in Sukhumvit.

[Pops]

Time for another Minister to get his name in the newspapers just before Cabinet reshuffle time. They make it so blindingly obvious its silly.

What they have not thought through, whether they like it or not is that tourists world-wide come here knowing they can get their fake rolex or LV handbag and the wording of such a strong warning really will scare tourists away from coming. This is a really really bad move when tourism has suffered and they are trying to give it a boost. It will suit the crap advertising campaign they have come up with for Thailand on the TV, not even close to matching India or Malaysia.

They may not do fake goods overtly in many countries but they dont give you a warning when you are on short finals that will scare half the tourist population on an aircraft to death. Stupid, stupid! Another example of engaging mouth before brain!

Please read the thread: They are talking about importing fake goods INTO Thailand, not exporting.

Tourists can still come and buy all locally produced fake goods and export to their desire !

[ignis]

I can just imagine the warning leaflets now. "please don't bring fake goods into the land of fake goods!"

Makes sense people that come to Thailand often cannot bring there fake goods back only buy new fake goods to take out..,

Have they built the new rooms at Swampy land yet ? for all the naked people that were wearing made in Thailand fake clothes

[laobali]

Think about how timely such an operation would be to implement, not to mention how would you train Thais to spot counterfeit goods when they have been using some form of counterfeit goods for their whole life (Clothes for example), so are they expecting to spend a couple of hours going through every passengers belongings to sort out the genuine from the fake.

Quite simply its not going to happen

Exactly. If word gets around that incoming passengers are being scrutinised and/or searched and asked to prove the authenticity of anything they are wearing or carrying, the whole world will fall about laughing about Thai government idiocy - not just on TV.

[wxpwzrd]

This is just another income source (bribe) for the government officials charged with keeping it out. The importers of fakes have already been told to bring more money with them to avoid the confiscation.

[Mosha]

From the Ministry of Silly Talks (Sorry Monty Python)

[madmitch]

Isn't it a bit late to tell people on the aircraft isn't it? Will they have a big bin just before customs saying "deposit all your counterfeit goods here"?

There's already a sign at the Mae Sai border crossing stating that counterfeit goods must not be brought into Thailand but this doesn't stop Thais going over in their hordes to the market in Myanmar to buy DVDs, bags, clothes etc.

And as it's illegal anyway surely no change, just some MP trying to gain some brownie points.

[noitom]

This is a preposterous proclamation! It makes Thailand a buffoon looking country. Everyone knows that Thailand is second only to China in the theft of intellectual property and making and selling fake goods. The black Thai economy exists on the back of the girls and fake goods.

[drdoom6996]

They cannot be serious, they are making Thailand a laughing stock with their stupid proclamations. One thing Thailand is the hub of. Fakes

And right now the growing trend in Fakes is POLITICIANS. Thailand has the best fake politicians in the whole world.

[FalangBaa]

Quite right too! The first offence should be a warning, the second offence mandatory imprisonment. It sickens me to my stomach to see morally bankrupt tourists always trying to bring fake goods by air into Thailand, the hub of 100% genuine and extremely high-quality products.

Edited August 31, 2012 by FalangBaa

[chasntong]

I have just awoke from a deep sleep is it April 1st already

[cowslip]

Presumably to protect their own industry?

[Pib]

It just make my jaw drop and think did the Thai govt really make such an idiot announcement. The Land of Fakes barring the imports of fakes...I guess imported fakes are hurting sales of domestic-produced fakes. Now, let me tape my jaw up.

[luangtom]

Whadda joke! Fake goods coming into Thailand? Give me a break.....one just has to take camera-in-hand and go to Thaprachan area and photograph the fake amulets that vendors sell as "real" and even see "monks" there with their loupes out scanning the fakes, as if they are real and then taking them back to their respective temples and selling them as blessed artifacts. Bringing fake goods into the country.....wow.

Or, check out "amulets" on eBay and see what export of such items hit for prices and the minister truly wishes airlines to warn passengers about bringing fake items into Thailand? Wow, again.....

[uptheos]

Someone has to protect the Thai fake industry.

[FalangBaa]

I think someone left out the SATIRE.

Or maybe they are worried that Lady Gaga is planning to bring her fake Rolex's with her next time.

Didn't you know? Lady Gaga is BANNED from Thailand, a country that follows and upholds the highest levels of morality and where sexually suggestive behaviour and revealing clothing are anathema to the very ethos of this Buddhist nation of the highest purity. Thailand doesn't need any Satan-worshipping smut like Lady Gaga exerting its negative impact on the pure and generous hearts of its people.

[KeyserSoze01]

The bulk of the fake goods are made in China, not Thailand.

This is true, but the implication of the article in the OP insinuates that air travelers to Thailand will be warned. The shear volume and bulk of knock-offs that flow into Thailand obviously do not enter the country as someone's luggage on an inbound flight. If they wanted to actually stop knock-offs getting into the country, they would be better served having the border patrol do a better job of inspecting shipments crossing the border instead of pissing off tourists and business people flying into the country.

[dighambara]

WELL, This is backwards, as Thailand is the hub for fake goods. Besides, except fot price, how does a customer tell if a product is a fake.

I can buy Gucci in the local market. I presume it is fake, but am I crrect in that assumption..??

[Kabinretiree]

I am dumbfounded everyday at the silly crap that comes out of the mouths of politicians here in the LOS. Can it get any more stupid. I am sure that we will have to wait another whole 24 hours for this to be eclipsed by an even sillier statement from someone at the 'big table' or yet another meaningless "crackdown" that never will be enforced. Stupid, stupid, stupid....

If they are serious....why don't the Pollies get off their bum, get out of their tax free imported Mercedes Benz's and wander around any market, anywhere in Thailand, day or night.....to see whats really going on out there. Are they really that alienated from reality?

[Misterwhisper]

Well, most western countries have laws that prohibit bringing fake goods into the country on penalty of very heavy fines. An acquaintance of mine was once nabbed at Munich airport with 5 fake wrist watches in his suitcase that he had bought in Thailand (where else?). The goods were confiscated and he was slapped with a fine of almost 2,000 euros!

I don't find it particularly strange that Thailand would announce similar measures. What is bizarre, though, is that they don't warn any foreign tourist to take fake goods OUT of the country. That would be a good start to curb the pirated goods industry that proliferates in the country. Then again, there are too many fingers in the honey pot and those individuals wouldn't want to see their lucrative incomes diminish.

So yes, when we look at the context of this new announcement, the mind definitely boggles. Someone has completely missed the point.

I also imagine the following scene at Suvarnabhumi:

Customs officer: "Sir, you are obviously wearing a fake polo shirt. Please take it off immediately, leave it here and prepare for a hefty fine.

Passenger: "What...?! You've got to be joking!"

Customs officer: "Not at all, Sir, not at all. And while we're at it, please also remove your fake shoes, socks and wrist watch. And don't forget your pirated jeans."

Passenger: "You want me to walk out of here half naked?"

Customs oficer: "My cousin is a taxi driver. He will take you to my other cousin's shop where you can refurbish yourself with exactly the same items you'll be taking off now - and at a very cheap price, of course."

Passenger: "Oh, that's so nice of you. Thank you so much!"

Customs officer (smiling a Thai smile): "Welcome to Tailand, Sir. But now take your stuff off, please..."

[pacovl46]

Shouldn't it be the other way round?

[Businessman]

Brilliant. Absolute genius. Here's how it works, tourists carry authentic item, say a handbag, into Thailand. Customs say,"No real. I keep. You pay fine 5000." The item then is turned over to the duty free shop to sell to an outbound tourist for another 40,000 thb. Thailand 45,000 thb, tourists 0.

and if the item is indeed a fake, customs still can collect their 5,000 thb tip. Brilliant!

[khunron13]

Thank you so much....I needed a good laugh!

[Farangdam]

farang only to bring original thing so when they desperate they can go to pawn shop and sell it very cheap and the pawn shop will sell with highest price to another naive farang good for pawn shop business are they serious!!!