Interpol To Lead Crackdown On Pirated Goods: Thailand

[Scorpio1949]

Ow shit was planning to do some shopping coming week flying in from Udon ................ Can I have my ticket refunded by the BIB or Interpol messing up my shopping ?????

[Gsxrnz]

If they are serious, they will need 50 new courts and 100 new judges this is so widespread of a violation. Why are they wasting time and resources on this 'victimless' crime. Does anyone believe that Rolex will lose a sale on a genuine Rolex watch because someone spent 1,000 Baht on a fake? No one who buys fake/counterfeit would pay retail for the real thing anyway. Are they worried it will give their brand a bad name if it fails to perform like an original? Anyone who buys fake knows it is fake because of the ridiculously low price they paid and do not expect it to be as good as the genuine article. I don't see who is being hurt except some people trying to make a dishonest living (common in every country). This is good for Interpol and it seems to make them look useful but really, aren't there more pressing crimes with actual victims that should be a higher priority? Does Interpol have every other crime under control that they can now focus of pirated goods? I don't think so. This smells of corporations pressuring politicians.

I suspect it's because the manufacturers of the genuine goods don't want copies to be available so that the prestige of the original goods remains high. Imagine a rich woman is sitting in a restaurant sporting her genuine Rolex, original LV handbag, and wearing some high fashion dress - the whole ensemble costing 30,000 dollars. In walks a chick fresh from her Thailand holiday sporting the same stuff at a cost of 3,000 baht purchased from street vendors in BKK. Watch the rich woman go green!

Most of the fashion or brand name genuine stuff is horrendously over priced anyway - the best way to maintain the price and the demand for their goods is to eliminate the copies. However in SE Asia, it is a mission that is virtually impossible.

[lee b]

Raid if they want, they wont find any illegal items

[DRONGOH]

Nice to have some Pakis to restore the law in Thai!!

555555555!!!!

[dcsw53]

This is real action !

Wait for the low season, limit it to 1 week and tell everyone in advance. Stand by the next initiative where the police will ruthlessly crack down on illegal gambling dens ( i.e. wait for low season, limit it.... .

[steveyinasia]

Excellant marketing ploy to generate increased sales for today. God day to get a bargain

[easybullet3]

Nothing like giving the piraters a big heads up

They might as well say "Please remove your fake goods for 10 days while we pretend to go after fakes"

Just more lip service to make it seem like they are doing something

What a waste of time

IMO opinion to any big wigs up the food chain, so they need to give advance notice

and that would disrupt the money supply if they shut own all the fake sellers

I know!! this is the way it works in Thailand.

warn the vendors before you come...

possibly seize goods form one or two sellers.

and the most important things: TAKE PHOTO OF SMUG POLICE CAPTAIN OUTSIDE PANTHIP AND PUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPER TO MAKE HIM LOOK SO GREAT!

and the next step is even more important: THE DUMB NAIVE NEWSPAPER REPORTERS WILL REPORT THAT CORRUPTION IS BEING CRACKED DOWN! THEY WILL IGNORE THE FACT THAT EVERYONE KNOWS ITS JUST A ONE-DAY-CRACKDOWN! THE REPORTER WILL NOT REPORT THE TRUTH... THEY WILL SUPPORT THE LIE.

and the final step is that the fake-DVD sellers will return back to work (as normal) the next day.

[asdecas]

Time to crack down on this disgraceful hub. The police should rush to the scene, in my opinion.

[khunken]

They'll never go after the real big cheeses. For example the owner of Panthip Plaza is Khun Charoen of Chang beer, Plaza Athene, etc etc fame - one of the richest men in Thailand & (really important) a friend of Thaksin's.

[mrtoad]

What a bunch of clowns The BIB are, just like the last time they had the crackdown

[Frank James]

It's a funny thing about those fake items...I bought a fake Omega 'SeaMaster' 007 series watch in Nong Khai for $40. I could see no superficial, obvious difference between it and a real one EXCEPT it was not waterproof, and the second hand clicked along instead of having the even sweep. It kept perfect time. I hear they have Casio and Seiko innards, which are quite good, The bracelet quality wasn't so good, but you couldn't tell that from just looking at it. I gave it away because it was too flashy.

We bought a couple of fake smartphones, (I forget the brand) that looked like they came out of the same factory as the real ones. I'm not so sure that is not the case. They fell apart pretty quickly, and the batteries were junk.

I went into the Chanel store at Seoul Incheon Airport with my brand-conscious Thai wife. A pair of ultra-simple plain flat ladies shoes, that might sell for 250 baht tops at the Night Bazaar in CM were NINE HUNDRED US DOLLARS. That's insane.

SO, Luis Vuitton, Rolex, Breitling, Mont Blanc, Chanel, etc etc etc, who ALL (Swiss watchmakers the exception) have your grossly overpriced goods made in China, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh...you can all get stuffed. Having low income people running around with fakes of your junk is free advertising for you, and hurts your bottom line not at all.

[Lucrative]

If they are serious, they will need 50 new courts and 100 new judges this is so widespread of a violation. Why are they wasting time and resources on this 'victimless' crime. Does anyone believe that Rolex will lose a sale on a genuine Rolex watch because someone spent 1,000 Baht on a fake? No one who buys fake/counterfeit would pay retail for the real thing anyway. Are they worried it will give their brand a bad name if it fails to perform like an original? Anyone who buys fake knows it is fake because of the ridiculously low price they paid and do not expect it to be as good as the genuine article. I don't see who is being hurt except some people trying to make a dishonest living (common in every country). This is good for Interpol and it seems to make them look useful but really, aren't there more pressing crimes with actual victims that should be a higher priority? Does Interpol have every other crime under control that they can now focus of pirated goods? I don't think so. This smells of corporations pressuring politicians.

Couldn't agree more, whats the big deal with a knock off T shirt or watch, people who want the genuine article will buy the genuine not the fake, those that cannot afford the ridiculous price of the original can at least have a bit of satisfaction

wearing or carrying the knock off, I can't believe the number of people who really give a crap about these items. People are employed making and distributing these pirated goods, better than them being out of work and turning to real crime for

a living. How about concentrating all this effort chasing paedophiles, or people smugglers, or slave traders or people commiting real crimes like robbery with violence or murder. Such a waste of human resources, on such a harmless activity.

I for one are glad that the raids have been publicised, small vendors have outlayed money to buy stock to ply their trade to feed their families and send their children to school, making a (dishonest) honest living, I see nothing wrong with what they do, unlike tuk tuk mafias or rip off merchants like phuket taxi drivers and jet ski operators, who will gleefully pound anyone who dare interfere with their lively hood, In a country that is so corrupt whats a few counterfeit items sold

do to harm anyone. I say get a life to anyone who actually cares about what people sell,its not like they are standing on street corners selling heroin to children.

[Joe Mamma]

Don't buy pirated goods. They are crap and the computer programs have malware and other nasty things.

[seajae]

and when they find nothing fake because the police have told them all they are coming the govt will claim Thailand is not selling fakes, kind of like the police telling the gambling dens they bare going to raid them before they do it then claim gambling is down.

[rametindallas]

If they are serious, they will need 50 new courts and 100 new judges this is so widespread of a violation. Why are they wasting time and resources on this 'victimless' crime. Does anyone believe that Rolex will lose a sale on a genuine Rolex watch because someone spent 1,000 Baht on a fake? No one who buys fake/counterfeit would pay retail for the real thing anyway. Are they worried it will give their brand a bad name if it fails to perform like an original? Anyone who buys fake knows it is fake because of the ridiculously low price they paid and do not expect it to be as good as the genuine article. I don't see who is being hurt except some people trying to make a dishonest living (common in every country). This is good for Interpol and it seems to make them look useful but really, aren't there more pressing crimes with actual victims that should be a higher priority? Does Interpol have every other crime under control that they can now focus of pirated goods? I don't think so. This smells of corporations pressuring politicians.

You're quite right when it comes to expensive watches but how about fake medicines? Don't worry about these either? Not all fakes are 'victimless' crimes.

In that case, you are 100% correct. If you are buying medicine from a pharmacy and it is fake, the pharmacy and its suppliers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. However, it one is buying 'Viagra' etc. from some online/shady source, som nom na. I don't care what happens to those people. I was assuming from the OP and the areas to be cracked down upon that Interpol was going after fake DVDs, handbags, watches, etc. I have not seen pharmaceuticals being sold at MBK, or Pantip Plaza, or Patpong. Maybe Interpol should focus on fake pharmaceuticals instead of pirated retail merchandise.

[kimamey]

"Outsiders" meddling in Thai business. This should work out well.

I think you'll find the fakes are of outsiders' products so it's not really just Thai business.

[kimamey]

If they are serious, they will need 50 new courts and 100 new judges this is so widespread of a violation. Why are they wasting time and resources on this 'victimless' crime. Does anyone believe that Rolex will lose a sale on a genuine Rolex watch because someone spent 1,000 Baht on a fake? No one who buys fake/counterfeit would pay retail for the real thing anyway. Are they worried it will give their brand a bad name if it fails to perform like an original? Anyone who buys fake knows it is fake because of the ridiculously low price they paid and do not expect it to be as good as the genuine article. I don't see who is being hurt except some people trying to make a dishonest living (common in every country). This is good for Interpol and it seems to make them look useful but really, aren't there more pressing crimes with actual victims that should be a higher priority? Does Interpol have every other crime under control that they can now focus of pirated goods? I don't think so. This smells of corporations pressuring politicians.

The vendors could stop all this by selling goods without stolen brand names. If as you say those that buy fakes know they aren't as good why do they buy them as there will still be a mark up compared to items without the stolen name. the name is important because someone has spent time and money building up that name.

Whether it's worth trying to stop this I don't know but it's certain this type of advertised operation won't work.

[Gerald14]

Another one of these!!! I remember there was a raid on Pantip a few years ago and they found actually three pirated CD's in the whole complex.......What a catch

[hellodolly]

What a bunch of clowns The BIB are, just like the last time they had the crackdown

Sure dosen't say much about Interpol does it.

For those who have come in late the article is about Interpol coming to Thailand to help clean up the sale of fake goods.

Edited May 24, 2013 by hellodolly

[hellodolly]

If they are serious, they will need 50 new courts and 100 new judges this is so widespread of a violation. Why are they wasting time and resources on this 'victimless' crime. Does anyone believe that Rolex will lose a sale on a genuine Rolex watch because someone spent 1,000 Baht on a fake? No one who buys fake/counterfeit would pay retail for the real thing anyway. Are they worried it will give their brand a bad name if it fails to perform like an original? Anyone who buys fake knows it is fake because of the ridiculously low price they paid and do not expect it to be as good as the genuine article. I don't see who is being hurt except some people trying to make a dishonest living (common in every country). This is good for Interpol and it seems to make them look useful but really, aren't there more pressing crimes with actual victims that should be a higher priority? Does Interpol have every other crime under control that they can now focus of pirated goods? I don't think so. This smells of corporations pressuring politicians.

The vendors could stop all this by selling goods without stolen brand names. If as you say those that buy fakes know they aren't as good why do they buy them as there will still be a mark up compared to items without the stolen name. the name is important because someone has spent time and money building up that name.

Whether it's worth trying to stop this I don't know but it's certain this type of advertised operation won't work.

I can see it all now street venders with carts full of real Rolex's.

[mrtoad]

What a bunch of clowns The BIB are, just like the last time they had the crackdown

Sure dosen't say much about Interpol does it.

For those who have come in late the article is about Interpol coming to Thailand to help clean up the sale of fake goods.

Well, not helped by the BIB announcing the target areas in advance.

[epicstuff]

On top of this being my pet hate .... war on intelectual rights and
piracy, 2 of the crapest laws ever

What Is the point of these raids. it is funny and
sometimes, just a little annoying that on the day you need some new
software, Pantip Plaza is empty like a gost town for a week. then suddenly everything back open and trading like nothing ever happened a few days later.

[epicstuff]

These are some very serious laws that need enforsed. Without such laws, respectable hardworking citizans of America like Dr. Dre and P Didde would be seriously resitricted in how many cribs and yatchs they could have coke fuelled orgies in..

It is easy to see that if we all paided $20 for a proper CD instead of trying to save money and buying one for $1 we would be giving a much better life to those struggling rock stars.. every dollar counts!!!!

[Bagwan]

I do wish that The Nation educated their employees in the matter of what and who Interpol is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpol This might help them.

Given the advance warning that BIB have given to those selling fakes I wouldn't be surprised if Interpol refused to talk to BIB ever again.

[DiNiro]

Interpol and everybody else know the games the police play.

[kimamey]

If they are serious, they will need 50 new courts and 100 new judges this is so widespread of a violation. Why are they wasting time and resources on this 'victimless' crime. Does anyone believe that Rolex will lose a sale on a genuine Rolex watch because someone spent 1,000 Baht on a fake? No one who buys fake/counterfeit would pay retail for the real thing anyway. Are they worried it will give their brand a bad name if it fails to perform like an original? Anyone who buys fake knows it is fake because of the ridiculously low price they paid and do not expect it to be as good as the genuine article. I don't see who is being hurt except some people trying to make a dishonest living (common in every country). This is good for Interpol and it seems to make them look useful but really, aren't there more pressing crimes with actual victims that should be a higher priority? Does Interpol have every other crime under control that they can now focus of pirated goods? I don't think so. This smells of corporations pressuring politicians.

The vendors could stop all this by selling goods without stolen brand names. If as you say those that buy fakes know they aren't as good why do they buy them as there will still be a mark up compared to items without the stolen name. the name is important because someone has spent time and money building up that name.

Whether it's worth trying to stop this I don't know but it's certain this type of advertised operation won't work.

I can see it all now street venders with carts full of real Rolex's.

The thing is would anyone believe they were real?

[BookMan]

..

Edited May 25, 2013 by BookMan

[BookMan]

These are some very serious laws that need enforsed.  Without such laws, respectable hardworking citizans of America like Dr. Dre and P Didde would be seriously resitricted in how many cribs and yatchs they could have coke fuelled orgies in..

 

 It is easy to see that if we all paided $20 for a proper CD instead of trying to save money and buying one for $1 we would be giving a much better life to those struggling rock stars.. every dollar counts!!!!

You can still buy cds?

[rametindallas]

I do wish that The Nation educated their employees in the matter of what and who Interpol is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpol This might help them.

Given the advance warning that BIB have given to those selling fakes I wouldn't be surprised if Interpol refused to talk to BIB ever again.

So, the BiB told a reporter from The Nation and The Nation told the World. Interpol cannot enforce laws without the locals doing the actual arrests and evidence gathering. Interpol, just like any other bureaucracy, gets paid whether they get results or not. The also get points for going through the motions of law enforcement. Can anyone name any great successes Interpol has had in the last ten years? I read the list of crimes they have the authority to pursue and, with only 674 agents world-wide, it seems to me that fake DVDs, Rolex watches, and LV handbags, etc, should be the lowest priority of all the scary things they are responsible to enforce. (exception being fake drugs sold by reputable pharmacies, pharmaceutical suppliers)

[Jim walker]

This should be such a big surprise and a shock to the pirates
I am sure it will more or less stamp out software piracy in Asia for almost a
week.