Thai censorship breeds piracy, critics say

BANGKOK: -- U.S. filmmakers say Thailand`s censorship of smoking and drinking in movies is driving viewers to buy pirated versions, the Bangkok Post said Tuesday.

Tienchai Pinvises, executive director of the Motion Picture Association of Thailand, voiced the view of leading U.S. filmmakers that it was fine for the government to ban pictures of smoking and drinking in mass media such as free television on moral grounds, but the ban should not apply to movies on discs as they are a private form of entertainment and potential buyers of such products are adults.

'Blurred pictures irritate viewers so they opt to buy pirated, uncensored DVDs or VCDs for entertainment,' he said, referring to the government`s practice of obscuring 'improper' scenes.

MPA members include Columbia Picture Industries Inc, Disney Enterprises Inc, Paramount Picture Corporation, Tri-Star Pictures Inc, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Universal Studios and Warner Bros Entertainment, who raised their concerns to the Commerce Ministry last week.

Tienchai said American filmmakers also complained that pirates had switched to using DVD writer-equipped computers to `burn` VCDs and DVDs since Thailand began enforcing a copyright law to register and control large-scale CD-copying machines last year.

--UPI 2006-05-17

hey I am having a smoke now .... just please don't aim the gun at my head

... and these puritan purists here are not even aware that they become the laughing stock of the region ...

the whole world allows the da vinci code. but not pure thailand.

embarrassing.

(am off to silom for the DVD)

Thai censorship breeds piracy, critics say

BANGKOK: -- U.S. filmmakers say Thailand`s censorship of smoking and drinking in movies is driving viewers to buy pirated versions, the Bangkok Post said Tuesday.

Well, everybody is laughing about the last "coup" of the thai mind police, but I have to say that theses comment from the US industry are pretty funny too.

Ask yourself : do you buy copies of DVD to get the "smoke and sex" scenes, that might be cutted ?

Of course not : you buy because it's a good price !

I should say : a fair price.

1 DVD = 100 THB. That's a fair price. The US industry is dreaming to see the whole planet population buy DBD at 1000 THB (20 euros) per piece. Yes, it's a dream. Go back to sleep !

Ask yourself : do you buy copies of DVD to get the "smoke and sex" scenes, that might be cutted ?

Of course not : you buy because it's a good price !

Absolutely!

Piracy rules!

DVD's for less than 2 quid, who can argue with that...???

The typically 'morally perfect' Thais fail to see that by adopting western (christian) morals, they will actually increase prostitution & drug sales (the ealier closing of bars) & further enhance the distribution of pirated copies of movies etc. OR...are some of the Thai authorities being 'paid off'?

The mind boggles but at the end of the day, 'uncommon sense' has, as per usual, gone 'out the window'.

Ask yourself : do you buy copies of DVD to get the "smoke and sex" scenes, that might be cutted ?

Of course not : you buy because it's a good price !

Absolutely!

Piracy rules!

DVD's for less than 2 quid, who can argue with that...???

Price is the determining factor, not ciggies or sex scenes.

Well, say I want to buy a movie classic, maybe a Hitchcock flick, or some Billy Wilder, whatever.

My choice here are:

Maybe, just maybe, a legitimate Thai version is on the market, for say 500 Bt. (I would consider this a reasonable price!). But I know from past experiences that I can't trust the cover about language or Subtitles, lots of them I bought did not have what's printed on the cover. And I have to cope with funny censorship.

I can order the UK or US Version of the movie at Amazon, wait 3 - 6 weeks, pay around 25$ (depends on how many movies I order) plus maybe some extra customs money (happens once in a while).

Or I can find the movie on DVDR at some of the hotspots in Bangkok, for 100 Bt, with a cheap looking photocopied cover, and a 1 in 10 chance that the DVDR does not play right at my computer.

Or I download it through Bittorrent, and burn it on DVD. Costs 20 Bt.

What would your choice be?

Sunny

I always do my best to stay legal, but I must admit if I can get rid of the stupid pixelation at a cheaper price I will (even at a more expensive price I still will).

The worst part is that the censorship draws attention to what is happening because you want to know why it is censored, then you notice the person is smoking, or drinking.

Absolutely crazy, whoever thought that one up must own the official pixelation contract!!!!!!!!!!