“Operation Hurricane” Continues At South Pattaya Shopping Mall

[Rimmer]

“Operation Hurricane” continues at South Pattaya Shopping Mall

PATTAYA:--Four vendors and an estimated 1.3 million Baht’s worth of counterfeit branded items were seized as Police involved in a nationwide crackdown on those who are selling and producing counterfeit items, raided a South Pattaya Shopping Mall on Thursday Night.

Police Colonel Terrapol, from the Police Region 2 Special Operations Division, held a press conference to announce the seizure of 2,700 individual clothing and accessory items featuring brand names such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Breitling.

The raid took place at Mike Shopping Mall on Pattaya Beach
Full story:http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/89182/operation-hurricane-continues-south-pattaya-shopping-mall/

-- Pattaya One 2013-05-31

[OMGImInPattaya]

Who buys this tacky junk anyway?!

[BookMan]

These vendors must have missed the recent article giving them notice of the raids

[fakename]

Just hitting the vendors is not going to do much. The police should be hitting the manufactures. Of course its the big people that can pay, so they are left alone. I know most of this "junk" is put together, sometimes in a one woman company, but there is still someone that is running the show, and thats the one that they should be going after.

[laurentbkk]

what about the same clean up on sukhumvit road market or patpong market ?

[Kerryd]

Wonder how long before all the "confiscated" goods are back for sale, possibly in the same mall ?

[action]

@OMGIminpattaya:

Who buys this stuff? Take the blindfold off, go to a market and have a look. Everyone is buying this stuff!

I agree with previous posts. Basically the manufacturers just sold another 1.3 million baht worth of goods in one swoop. That is assuming these confiscated goods won't end up back on the market, which is highly unlikely. Most of this stuff comes from outside of Thailand and as long as there is a market for it, there will be a supplier.

I believe the only way to really stamp this out is for the name brand companies to start reevaluating their pricing on their goods and compete with these crooks rather than charge 15,000 THB for a single item that costs them 300 to make.

I don't understand why the factories making these products don't just come up with their own name brand. I also don't believe that name brand sales will increase that much if these goods are taken off the street. I mean, I wouldn't go buy a 20,000 baht pair of sunglasses just because the 100 baht pair doesn't say Okley on them.

[Sandman77]

Did we talking about mike shopping center ? My first visit was 4 year ago have a lot different things also computer

In last floor , no everything gone mostly only clothes and cosmetics

No one shows the prices on clothes

This the first shopping wall I see that practice this!

Swiss company bring a device on the market where you can find out within secounds is a leather handbag a copy or not!

And how high are the fine selling copy products in Thailand no one talk about this?

European media reports that thailands fake product market is now even bigger then china!

One time a sale woman on beach road show me a book of over 1000 fake leather bags of over 30 different world brands!

How high the production coast must be when bags are sold between 150 and 400 bahth?

Less then 10 procent of the regular price in western country's!

[krisb]

Best counterfeit I've ever bought was a Ralph Lauren polo, the horse only had 3 legs..

[thhMan]

Only 4 vendors?

hmmmm....

I call BS

[COXYATCITY]

Mike should be arrested and charged for renting out these stalls,he probably did not know what they were selling on his property , although they have been there in the last 20 years since i have been here., i stopped shopping in there a long time ago,because of harassment from these fake sellers,one more shirt sir.1 more Lacoste sir, when they see you wearing 1 ,leave me alone this is a real 1

[noisyboy]

I believe the only way to really stamp this out is for the name brand companies to start reevaluating their pricing on their goods and compete with these crooks rather than charge 15,000 THB for a single item that costs them 300 to make.

Why would re-evaluate something which is the precise reason you sell so much? Among other reasons, one f the reaso people spend so much money on those items is because they are so expensive.

They don't sell you simple goods, they sell you idea of membership to an exclusive club of other owners.

They sell you a way to shout "I have money" without actually shouting.

I mean, I wouldn't go buy a 20,000 baht pair of sunglasses just because the 100 baht pair doesn't say Okley on them.

Surely you have met people whose first response to your compliments on an item is, "it cost me xyz".

Counterfeit products sell since they allow people to do above things (or atleast make them think they are doing them) without actually spending a load of cash.

[Phil Conners]

It is my understanding they all buy their goods at a huge market in Bangkok - Chatachuk or someting? Why don't they crack down there instead?

[Sandman77]

Maybe because it's the biggest market in the world not easy to handle..

[stoffel45]

Just over a week ago, in a 5 floor building - mostly devoted to "authentic copies" ranging from DVDs to fashion garments and PC parts, the salesman told me that I must finish my purchases in 30 minutes because the BIB were due in one hour.

I took a coffee and watched as all the "genuine, authentic reproduction" vendors shuttered their shops. The BIB duly arrived, complete with photographer and a video camera.

Two "miscreants" paraded a table full of clothes (we were on the movies and games floor not a clothes seller in sight for 4 floors), DVDs (empty cases) and for some reason a bundle of plastic flowers and miniature trees. This all took some arranging until the video man was happy. The two "appointed" felons were ordered to look at the floor, a BIB with lots of brass stood beside pointing at the heap of "authentic imitations" and then it was time to pack up. The attendant BIBs then dived into the morass on the table and helped themselves, very openly. There was lots of laughter and smiles all round - and then they disappeared into the elevator which when it pinged - the shuttered shops roared up their gates.

So - justice served. I purchased a couple of Lacoste polo shirts for 220 baht each. Even the plastic carry bag was inscribed Lacoste. Inside on a Lacoste label were the EU sizes and a legend in French explaining washing procedure. There was even a ticket of excellent quality showing the price to be $47 plus VAT at 7%.

For 220 baht!

[Basil B]

Operation Hurricane, I bet that put the wind up em...

[Phil Conners]

Maybe because it's the biggest market in the world not easy to handle..

I'm not sure I understand... Are you saying it's ok because it is big?

[i claudius]

Maybe because it's the biggest market in the world not easy to handle..

I'm not sure I understand... Are you saying it's ok because it is big?

no he is saying the police are all paid off already ,all this junk will be back on sale in a few days ,some months ago there was a raid on a shop near us well documented in the papers ,within a day she was back open selling the same stuff again.