Bangkok's "Starbung" coffee vendor defies multinational

[little mary sunshine]

What a sad excuse for a businessman. If he didn't intend on capitalizing on the

Starbucks Name and quality of coffee, He would have a sign in Yellow and Orange

and not attempt to copy an International Brand. I usually support the "little guy";

however, in this case he is just dead wrong and a poor attempt to "Knock off " a

Coffee Giant. The will wipe the ground with your copy cat stand.....and they should.

[Fullstop]

I'm all for the 'little guy' who takes on massive corporations. When he's 'right'.

Not the case here.

[Fullstop]

What a sad excuse for a businessman. If he didn't intend on capitalizing on the

Starbucks Name and quality of coffee, He would have a sign in Yellow and Orange

If I was extremely kind... I'd propose it was intentional. He 'knew' the sh*t would hit the fan... and the publicity would boost his sales (Not to mention the donations)

But I'm not kind.

[Lysdexic]

Arrogant bastards. I recall Disney filing suit against an elementary school because someone had drawn Disney characters in a kids bathroom.

Them there was an excellent chili sauce here in chiang mai that Tabasco sued out of existence. I loved Thaibasco

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanhalligan/368594979/

[tragickingdom]

The coffee of Starbung must be better than that of a tax evader who pisses off it''s customers by telling them to leave when they are too long enjoying a chair.

[Arkady]

Rather a nice story. Starbucks is totally in the right legally but Starbungs is winning public sympathy by standing up to the wealthy foreign aggressor and risking going to jail.

If Starbucks had any sense they would have ignored him. Now they are in it they should turn it around by buying him out or paying a designer to make him a really nice logo that doesn't look like theirs.

[zaupino]

Of course if you use a similar logo and name, you have had a convenience and you thought about it in advance. But everyone must remember that if you register a logo or you ask for a trade mark for a product etc. you have to pay for it.

So i ask to myself many times: why copy? Try to be original and avoid any trouble.

It is not a question about multinational or not. It can also happen to you that maybe you have a small shop (with registered logo) that is running well and someone else set up a shop nearby with similar menu and logo.

Think about it.

[Bluespunk]

Arrogant bastards. I recall Disney filing suit against an elementary school because someone had drawn Disney characters in a kids bathroom.

Them there was an excellent chili sauce here in chiang mai that Tabasco sued out of existence. I loved Thaibasco

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanhalligan/368594979/

Why didn't they just change the name?

[p_brownstone]

It may seem that way but pray tell, do you know of any multinational company that will allow someone to use a counterfeit copy of their corporate logo like that if they could help it? And it's not as if they didn't give the fella a chance to remove the logo with no penalties. This guy is just stubborn and now is going to get sued for it. I have no pity for this person. He had a chance to get out of this situation without any problem but decided to fight a battle he just can't win.

Starbucks needs to take a look at themselves. This guy is hardly stealing their market at the moment. They [ starbucks ] are actling like the playground bully.

I agree with what you're saying but it is just one store isn't it ? Why would starbucks bother with it ? If he opened up a chain then sure but this just seems like overkill to me.

So at what point does Starbucks call "enough"??

Let the first Stall go, ignore it .. let the next 15 Stalls, then another 50 be established and ignore them too??

You draw the line immediately, at the first attempt to steal or intrude on your well established Brand.

If you have a worldwide Brand you stamp VERY hard on the first attempt to Piggyback.

Patrick

[hellodolly]

He knows he copied Starbucks. We know he copied Starbucks. Everyone knows he copies Starbucks.

Telling fibs about his inspiration for the logo evaporated any sympathy I felt for him..... and I really loathe Starbucks.

He should have played the sympathy card himself. Saying how the big nasty coffee corporation (which Starbucks is) has stolen his business and so he was just trying to get a little back to feed his family.

Not sure what the problem is. I have no problems telling the difference between Starbucks and Starbungs logo.

What next a twin suing there twin because they look like them?

[little mary sunshine]

Wow, so many Starbuck's haters....I have always enjoyed the coffee at Starbucks. OK, some people

think the coffee is a little overpriced, However I have always been a "black " coffee drinker, not so

expensive. I can sit for an hour or so; read THEIR newspaper in a SPOTLESS environment and

use my computer to catch up on my emails. all AIR CONDITIONED all this for the price of a

cup of coffee......OR I could go to 7/11, get a cup of instant rot gut coffee for 14 B and sit on

the sidewalk in the heat and car exhaust.............I'll choose Starbucks............

[unanimosity]

Starbucks is making a PR mistake here.

Agreed. Certainly, this could have been negotiated with baht. Depending on the devoutness and connectedness of the coffee pirate, this may be his martyr role and form of jihad and could result in a fatwah with Starbucks stores starting to explode worldwide.

[unanimosity]

MUSLIM.

Strange how one small word can change peoples perception of right and wrong.

On the original thread, where Mr Damrongs religion was not mentioned, 99% of the posters supported him against the multinational giant.

On this thread however, where the OP mentions him as a muslim from the south, a clear majority of the posters are in favour of Starbucks!

Wonder why??

It might have something to do with innocent people before you getting their head handed to them.

[NanLaew]

Just started a boycott Starbucks page on Facebook. Go to Facebook and look for: notostarbucks (one word) I hope this is ok with the admins here. Otherwise please remove

Wow! You must be really, really busy.

[unanimosity]

Wow, so many Starbuck's haters....I have always enjoyed the coffee at Starbucks. OK, some people

think the coffee is a little overpriced, However I have always been a "black " coffee drinker, not so

expensive. I can sit for an hour or so; read THEIR newspaper in a SPOTLESS environment and

use my computer to catch up on my emails. all AIR CONDITIONED all this for the price of a

cup of coffee......OR I could go to 7/11, get a cup of instant rot gut coffee for 14 B and sit on

the sidewalk in the heat and car exhaust.............I'll choose Starbucks............

Many folks in Khonkaen pop into the S&P store next door at the Tukom Center for a steaming cup where they can pay with plastic if desired, then step into Starbucks and enjoy all those things you mentioned.

[lowbo]

... given Thailands (with Chinese influence) dissregard for IP rights, the whole escapade is right in line with regional intelect. At some point the international community needs to make IP a higher priority... because they haven't is why Starbucks has opted to proceed with the legal framework. Good for them, and I hope they get thier just reward; regardless of this vendor playing the religion card!

[Baloo22]

Rather a nice story. Starbucks is totally in the right legally but Starbungs is winning public sympathy by standing up to the wealthy foreign aggressor and risking going to jail.

If Starbucks had any sense they would have ignored him. Now they are in it they should turn it around by buying him out or paying a designer to make him a really nice logo that doesn't look like theirs.

A company like Starbucks cannot simply ignore all the people who attempt to steal their trademark logo.

See --> Starbucks has to protect it's company's logo.

And if Starbucks now pays out cash to him; how many other "Coffee Carts" will then appear with their own hands out ??

[Fullstop]

Starbungs is winning public sympathy by standing up to the wealthy foreign aggressor

Only to the stupid ones who can't see that he's in the wrong.

[Baloo22]

Wow, so many Starbuck's haters....I have always enjoyed the coffee at Starbucks. OK, some people

think the coffee is a little overpriced, However I have always been a "black " coffee drinker, not so

expensive. I can sit for an hour or so; read THEIR newspaper in a SPOTLESS environment and

use my computer to catch up on my emails. all AIR CONDITIONED all this for the price of a

cup of coffee......OR I could go to 7/11, get a cup of instant rot gut coffee for 14 B and sit on

the sidewalk in the heat and car exhaust.............I'll choose Starbucks............

Many folks in Khonkaen pop into the S&P store next door at the Tukom Center for a steaming cup where they can pay with plastic if desired, then step into Starbucks and enjoy all those things you mentioned.

In that case, the manager of that Starbucks store should be instructing and training his staff to tell the freeloaders to take their S&P coffee and drink it elsewhere. It's a private business, not a publicly-funded library or rest center!

[ThomasLoughney]

If you don't defend your logo you can lose it. Coke, McDonalds, Hersey, Toyota, Chevy, Boeing all defend the logo and trademark. Spend a lot of money to develop brand awareness to allow anybody just to steal it and use it.

I know big companies are bad and small <deleted> are good.......

Right....

He should have developed his own logo.....

[Thai at Heart]

The Starbucks logo is getting copied other places around the world. Sooner or later Starbucks would have to take action and probably hoped the offenders woyuld just back down as this guy should have. Curious that a moslem would rip off a logo from a "Great Satan" company.

At a point, I presume, he should trademark Starbung , if they don't stop it.

[unanimosity]

MUSLIM.

Strange how one small word can change peoples perception of right and wrong.

On the original thread, where Mr Damrongs religion was not mentioned, 99% of the posters supported him against the multinational giant.

On this thread however, where the OP mentions him as a muslim from the south, a clear majority of the posters are in favour of Starbucks!

Wonder why??

It might have something to do with innocent people before you getting their heads handed to them for the crime of not being muslims.

[Fozfromoz]

Wow, so many Starbuck's haters....I have always enjoyed the coffee at Starbucks. OK, some people

think the coffee is a little overpriced, However I have always been a "black " coffee drinker, not so

expensive. I can sit for an hour or so; read THEIR newspaper in a SPOTLESS environment and

use my computer to catch up on my emails. all AIR CONDITIONED all this for the price of a

cup of coffee......OR I could go to 7/11, get a cup of instant rot gut coffee for 14 B and sit on

the sidewalk in the heat and car exhaust.............I'll choose Starbucks............

Many folks in Khonkaen pop into the S&P store next door at the Tukom Center for a steaming cup where they can pay with plastic if desired, then step into Starbucks and enjoy all those things you mentioned.

And they would be called ............freeloaders.

[unanimosity]

If you don't defend your logo you can lose it. Coke, McDonalds, Hersey, Toyota, Chevy, Boeing all defend the logo and trademark. Spend a lot of money to develop brand awareness to allow anybody just to steal it and use it.

I know big companies are bad and small <deleted> are good.......

Right....

He should have developed his own logo.....

Are you kidding? If he developed his own logo he could lose face if nobody liked it. If you see originality around, get your eyes checked.

But the probable reason for Seattle to be in an uproar is having their whole identity become a bung hole.

[piston broke]

Starbucks is making a PR mistake here.

what like lars ulrich did with napster....

career in free fall since.....

[unanimosity]

Wow, so many Starbuck's haters....I have always enjoyed the coffee at Starbucks. OK, some people

think the coffee is a little overpriced, However I have always been a "black " coffee drinker, not so

expensive. I can sit for an hour or so; read THEIR newspaper in a SPOTLESS environment and

use my computer to catch up on my emails. all AIR CONDITIONED all this for the price of a

cup of coffee......OR I could go to 7/11, get a cup of instant rot gut coffee for 14 B and sit on

the sidewalk in the heat and car exhaust.............I'll choose Starbucks............

Many folks in Khonkaen pop into the S&P store next door at the Tukom Center for a steaming cup where they can pay with plastic if desired, then step into Starbucks and enjoy all those things you mentioned.

And they would be called ............freeloaders.

Well now, how can you say that when the Star staff are reported to never have cared? Your moral imperative is a first world virtue that doesn't seem to have legs in a land where everybody eats off of one plate, patrons schlep their own whisky to restaurants and pubs, and people routinely carry in their own food and grog to golf courses.

[capt_canada42]

jealous people people are jealous ...... been going on since we landed here on earth from the Starbunghole saucer ...

Edited October 23, 2013 by capt_canada42

[Prbkk]

If a few people give him a review on tripadvisor, he will become one of BKK's major attractions

[Baloo22]

Agree and disagree. Why does Starbucks do nothing about all the tee shirts sold with their logo? Free advertising right?

So if they are so worried about their trademark they should file a case against everyone who wears a tee shirt with the starbucks logo, with out permission from starbucks. So to an extent it's hypocracy. Just a multinational trying to show their bullying power. I do hope that the coffee vendor comes out on top.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Starbucks is in the business of selling coffee, tea, snacks and other like products in their coffee shops/stores. And the bunghole-boy in Bangkok is using a faked copy of the Starbucks owned logo to sell coffee!

[Baloo22]

Wow, so many Starbuck's haters....I have always enjoyed the coffee at Starbucks. OK, some people

think the coffee is a little overpriced, However I have always been a "black " coffee drinker, not so

expensive. I can sit for an hour or so; read THEIR newspaper in a SPOTLESS environment and

use my computer to catch up on my emails. all AIR CONDITIONED all this for the price of a

cup of coffee......OR I could go to 7/11, get a cup of instant rot gut coffee for 14 B and sit on

the sidewalk in the heat and car exhaust.............I'll choose Starbucks............

Many folks in Khonkaen pop into the S&P store next door at the Tukom Center for a steaming cup where they can pay with plastic if desired, then step into Starbucks and enjoy all those things you mentioned.

And they would be called ............freeloaders.

Well now, how can you say that when the Star staff are reported to never have cared? Your moral imperative is a first world virtue that doesn't seem to have legs in a land where everybody eats off of one plate, patrons schlep their own whisky to restaurants and pubs, and people routinely carry in their own food and grog to golf courses.

And in a land where the number one principle is fake rolex, fake handbags, and fake copy-copy-copy every other product, business idea, trademark, and logo in sight

Instead of the predominant fake-copy-fake; Perhaps Thailand should instead rely on the intellectual and inventive prowess of the Thai people.