Bangkok: Starbucks demands arrests in IP case

[webfact]

Bungholes: Starbucks demands arrests in IP case
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities are considering a call from Starbucks, the kaisers of corporate coffee, to arrest the owners of a hand-pushed coffee cart with a curious name.

In papers filed yesterday with the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court, Starbucks asked the court to order the arrest of the owner of coffee stall “Starbung” and his brother as part of an ongoing copyright dispute.

The U.S. coffee chain also wants the men find THB300,000 plus interest.

Starbucks claimed that Damrong Maslae, a 43-year-old father of six, and his brother Damras Maslae have violated a court order issued one month ago prohibiting them from using the likeness of its logo, according to ASTV Manager. Damrong and Damras are scheduled to stand trial Nov. 4, which could see them jailed if found guilty.

Starbucks has thrown the book at the men, who operate the single cart in the Rattanakosin district of the Thai capital. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/10/18/bungholes-starbucks-demands-arrests-ip-case


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-10-18

[bigbamboo]

Difficult to see how anyone could confuse Starbucks with a Thai lookalike.

I'm sure they couldn't get away with charging half a day's wages for a cup of coffee.

[soi41]

The only ones, that should be arrested here, are the bosses of Starbucks for overcharging the brown liquid, they call coffee!!

[thequietman]

There's a KFG in Chiangmai and lots of others ripping off company names all over Thailand. hey are taught to copy in school and this is just a continuation of this.

Look at any large department store in Bangkok or anywhere. One floor for phones, one floor for accessories, one floor for the same clothes. If you come up with a good business idea here, you can be sure in about 2 weeks, someone will copy you and open either next door or a few doors down.

Its funny to look at their confused look when there are 20 shops all selling the same thing and they can't for the life of them, understand why they are not busy.

[TheRedlines]

Starbucks was just upset that their competitor's coffee tasted better.

Sent from my Atari 2600

[CelticBhoy]

Starbucks being overly petty here.

They'll lose a few Muslim customers

if they carry this to the end I'm sure.

[laurentbkk]

Not a very clever things to do , specially if you have to face this giant American firm.

[laurentbkk]

Starbucks was just upset that their competitor's coffee tasted better.

Sent from my Atari 2600

even my coffee is better than starbuck ....

[siampolee]

Isn't imitation considered the highest form of flattery?

Starbucks the U.S. coffee chain should pay the men THB.300,000 plus interest for the publicity they have generated for Starbucks.

Just check out the business ethics of Starbucks, indeed somewhat lacking in ethics.

[JoeThePoster]

I once bought coffee from a Starbucks thinking it was a Starbung franchise.

[Gsxrnz]

Starbucks need to get over themselves and extract their head from their collective corporate arse.

The only humorous thing Starbucks is hearing Americans rave on about how good the coffee is. Most of the world wouldn't even degrease their car engines with the stuff.

[fab4]

Maybe if Starbucks were a bit more transparent about paying their taxes they might have got a smidgeon more compassion from me (well actually no they wouldn't).

I haven't tried Starbung Coffee but if it's anything like the local grown and brewed Thai Coffee I regularly drink, they've got my vote, rather than that overpriced watery muck they sell at Starbucks.

Should anyone with a conscience still support Starbucks when they come with official guff like this?

Q: Why does Starbucks not pay tax in the UK?

A: Starbucks pays a range of taxes in the UK, but it is true that we have not paid a meaningful amount of corporation tax. Corporation tax is based on the profits a company makes. We have found making a profit in the UK difficult and therefore have not been in a position to pay much corporation tax. http://www.starbucks.co.uk/our-commitment

They have only paid 8.6m GBP corporation tax in the UK over 14 years and nothing in the last four years - despite sales of £400m last year. The Managing Director got a 90% pay rise - I wonder why. Creative Accounting 101.

Difficult to make a profit, my ass!

[Thai at Heart]

Isn't imitation considered the highest form of flattery?

Starbucks the U.S. coffee chain should pay the men THB.300,000 plus interest for the publicity they have generated for Starbucks.

Just check out the business ethics of Starbucks, indeed somewhat lacking in ethics.

This is just typical Thai legalese. Just get them to change the name would be enough.

What possible damage can this coffee cart can have done to Starbucks? 0.0000000000000000000000001% loss of revenue?

So just change the name and have done with it.

[Local Drunk]

Anything from any bung is better and cheaper!

[Redhawk]

The rich can't even wait to get richer, ripping the poor men's shirt of for the sacrifice, law has to be law, they will do much better taking this opportunity how much their logos are appreciated around the globe but most CEO are suckers and only dumb followers of selfmade rules to steal and get higher in their company!

[ratcatcher]

Damrong and Damras are scheduled to stand trial Nov. 4, which could see them jailed if found guilty.

Damshame, I'm sure their coffee is Damgood and Damcheaper than the other company's Dameffluent.

[DocN]

Did I get that right: they are charging for 300.000THB, against the owner of a hand-pushed coffee- cart...because....?

Are they scared, anyone could confuse that cart with their pretentious, overpriced, stupid coffee- parlours?

Seriously?

[Mosha]

Coffee should sue Starbucks for misrepresentation.

[A1Str8]

Starbucks sucks but who cares. A lot of thai chicks go there to be seen. Maybe I drink shit everytime I am there but I also get laid. You always take the good with the bad.

Edited October 18, 2013 by A1Str8

[bender92]

The only ones, that should be arrested here, are the bosses of Starbucks for overcharging the brown liquid, they call coffee!!

Actually you cn do what I do and don't go there. It is not a crime when the customers are willing and able to spend a lot.

[bender92]

Did I get that right: they are charging for 300.000THB, against the owner of a hand-pushed coffee- cart...because....?

Are they scared, anyone could confuse that cart with their pretentious, overpriced, stupid coffee- parlours?

Seriously?

Sounds like Star-big-bucks is just getting free publicity.

[richard_smith237]

Its clearly a Copy Right infringement - It's obvious that the Coffee cart owners set out from the offset to use the Starbucks brand to their own advantage. Yes, its a bit of a David & Goliath situation, however, that doesn't detract from the fact that this is Copying and against IP laws.

Its unfortunate for the owners that they have been the ones chose by Starbucks when there are so many others. This issue has very little to do with money, it has everything to do with protecting their brand. Starbucks are drawing a line in the sand.

They are telling other business owners: It's Damrong to Copy someone else's brand. Get off your Damras'ses and create your own brand...

[midas]

Oh a storm in a coffee cup

Strarbucks Thailand should consider themselves lucky they are not faced with impersonators calling themselves StarF*kcs as they do in China?

http://www.gizchina.com/2011/08/11/top-5-fake-stores-china/

Edited October 18, 2013 by midas

[LuckyLew]

Another no class american company

If you are gonna charge american prices you should pay the american wages to the employees

5 bucks for a coffee and 5 bucks for a muffin ... no thanks

[Torrens54]

STARBULLYS.

Perhaps Starbucks needs to have a name change to the above, which would be far more appropriate.

The Court needs to let the local guy keep the name for his cart and have the "Testicles" to tell the Starbuck Mafia to go to Hell.

For the rest of us who see the actions of this Tax-avoiding Giant as being reprehensible, just don't buy their crap and pass the word on the suggested name change. It might just catch-on and make them the laughing stock of Thailand.

I was thinking of urging protest action with STARBULLY Banners, but that might not get past the Mediators and as I don't want to flout the rules, I won't make that particular suggestion.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Torrens54

[Dararasmi]

Another no class american company

If you are gonna charge american prices you should pay the american wages to the employees

5 bucks for a coffee and 5 bucks for a muffin ... no thanks

And America bashing rears its ugly head. Don't blame Starbucks. Blame the idiots who pay the "American prices" there. As for your wage complaint...be serious.

[chezy86]

I once bought coffee from a Starbucks thinking it was a Starbung franchise.

Ace I love your quote and I think from now on we should all patronise the Starbung franchise lol

[Baerboxer]

Maybe if Starbucks were a bit more transparent about paying their taxes they might have got a smidgeon more compassion from me (well actually no they wouldn't).

I haven't tried Starbung Coffee but if it's anything like the local grown and brewed Thai Coffee I regularly drink, they've got my vote, rather than that overpriced watery muck they sell at Starbucks.

Should anyone with a conscience still support Starbucks when they come with official guff like this?

Q: Why does Starbucks not pay tax in the UK?

A: Starbucks pays a range of taxes in the UK, but it is true that we have not paid a meaningful amount of corporation tax. Corporation tax is based on the profits a company makes. We have found making a profit in the UK difficult and therefore have not been in a position to pay much corporation tax. http://www.starbucks.co.uk/our-commitment

They have only paid 8.6m GBP corporation tax in the UK over 14 years and nothing in the last four years - despite sales of £400m last year. The Managing Director got a 90% pay rise - I wonder why. Creative Accounting 101.

Difficult to make a profit, my ass!

Good grief sir, I find myself agreeing with your comments 100%

This is petulant juvenile behaviour from a global corporation that manipulates different tax regimes to its benefits. They take themselves too seriously and its about time they got a kick in the arse.

[Hassu]

Looks like starbung is getting some free publicity big time..

Now I wanna try some starbung coffee that i have never heard of before...hmm..

[BeforeTigers]

The only ones, that should be arrested here, are the bosses of Starbucks for overcharging the brown liquid, they call coffee!!

Overcharging is when you agree to a price beforehand and then charge a higher price later.

What Starbucks does is called selling coffee.