Crackdown on 'counterfeit' whistles begins: Bangkok

[gerry1011]

Now they want to overthrow the economy

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[yourauntbob]

best news story ever! i almost peed myself. there is soo much i dont know where to start

first "protests led by the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD)" absolute democracy would mean we hold elections, and there would be no king. (mods: i am not promoting the idea, just pointing this out)

second: "The channel also sells its own "premium" lightning-shaped whistles, costing up to 999 baht per piece....The announcement also asks for understanding from anti-government protesters, stating that vendors of counterfeit whistles are profiting from opportunistic business ventures which would undermine the channel′s enterprise." and charging 999 baht for a whistle is not profiting from an opportunistic business venture

third: TIT, since when has any copyright been enforced in Thailand?

thanks for the laugh blue sky

[tonypace02]

This scandal is such an outrage that the leaders of PCAD should be forced to resign and be charged with fraud. Bt 999 for a crummy whistle and a piece of cloth with the national colors? IN THAILAND!? If they treat their supporters like this, what will they do to real Thais?

[fullcave]

The BlueSky whistle mafia monopoly….

[pipkins]

And four pages later, you guys are still talking about whistles.

It's giving the Coup attempt that real Thai feel as they start to clamp down on all and sundry. Real foretaste of how they would be if they were to succeed.

It is the extreeme pettyness of this that shows up their intolerance of ... wel everything and everybody.

least it keeps the lid on the news of poor turnouts again. New York Times were writing about it. Won't link to it as most of us will have read it already and those that havn't will have seen it on Bluesky :)

By all accounts the money is drying up. 76 days is a long time to keep this going, and it's nowhere near achieving its objectives. The money men on the other side however are clinging on to theirs as they don't need to do anything. The Government is legit, and the Coup can't happen now as it has descended into farce. The Courts did their bit, but the lack of violence meant their decisions and political leanings came under very close scrutiny.

Lack of violence taken away all possiblitly now and the smiling police assisting protesters, handing the candy, giving them drinks and protecting their guards is just the icing on the cake for Yingluck.

[lostmebike]

This scandal is such an outrage that the leaders of PCAD should be forced to resign and be charged with fraud. Bt 999 for a crummy whistle and a piece of cloth with the national colors? IN THAILAND!? If they treat their supporters like this, what will they do to real Thais?

Would you pay $30 for a whistle?

Edited January 16, 2014 by lostmebike

[Phuket Stan]

show my your patents.

Surely whistles are in the public domain, since the copyright would have expired well before copyright even existed.

Mr Whistle (and Mr Crappa's) family would still be getting royalties today?

Under British law its called "Passing Off".....taking the opportunity to make money out of someone elses business/efforts....bit like the guy who had a logo somewhat similar to Starbucks.....Starbucks had a real strong case but I dont think Sutheps lot would get very far in a proper court of law

[englishoak]

One can only wonder what the punishment shall be if you're caught selling counterfeit whistles???

Just when I thought I had heard/seen it all within this unique country,

here comes the mess behind a simple whistle.

Another day or two and the protestors will have much more to worry about,

than a childish whistle.

The rice farmers are coming...and they have a legitimate compliant to sort out.

One can only hope they don't get distracted by these child whistles,

that everyone seems to be so proud to put into their mouths.

These toys could of come in handy during kids day...NOT!

Probably only 9 years unlike the poor mushroom picker who got 10 ..........

[Prbkk]

6,255,750 available on ebay..."make an offer"

[RtotheC]

What are they going to do? call the police!!!?

[jackinbkk]

Who was the whistle blower?

beat me to it. I am 6 hours behind in the UK though. The whistle has blown on that joke.

[Jonmarleesco]

'[Whistles] A symbol of anti-government movements'. Really? And there was me seeing them as the symbol of all-annoying, anti-social security guards.

[fleeing]

In other news,

Manchester United announced they will be suing the red-shirts,

Hun Sen of Cambodia will be suing Thaksin for copying his particular form of 'democracy',

and London will be suing Beijing for copying smog.

[Frank James]

Hey Kids!

999 Baht for a whistle?!? Rip off! You can get 'em much cheaper on ebay. Think I'm kidding? Just google "Thailand protest whistle."

No, I have no personal involvement in this whatsoever. Far from it!

[rammis35]

Well of course he is going to complain. He is selling the whistles for 1000 baht that probably only cost abut 50 baht to make so the counterfeit sellers are taking the profits out of his pocket.

[fab4]

Viva La Revolution! Counterfeit whistles!

[Genericnic]

So, I guess the fake whistles are Chinese knockoffs.

David

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[joboss]

I think this is the real thing.

I've never blown it, bought it about a month ago near Siriraj

Virgin copy.. Never been blown

[amse]

Excuse Me, 999 baht for a whilstle, that cost maybe 25 baht to make, just who is really doing it to who here?

[pipkins]

Hey Kids!

999 Baht for a whistle?!? Rip off! You can get 'em much cheaper on ebay. Think I'm kidding? Just google "Thailand protest whistle."

No, I have no personal involvement in this whatsoever. Far from it!

Thats why they were going after CAT telecom.

Other than allowing information to be spread across the kingdom via the internet, they are also deemed guilty of allowing the promotion of dodgy Bluesky whistles.

If I was counterfeiting them, I'd put some of those inaudible dog whistles in and watch as the crowd were surrounded by irate soi dogs....

Know where they can get a dodgy leader? oh, too late they got one.

[noitom]

Now this Thai counterfeit property incident is big time criminal activity. These whistles are copyrighted and patented and unlike Julia Roberts movies and Microsoft software and Rolex watches, these whistles are Thai and worthy of a crackdown.

[Mampara]

Jeez!, anything for a fast buck eh!

[Puccini]

In the same Facebook post, Blue Sky staff claimed that security guards employed by the channel have confiscated their first batch of countefeit whistles sold at PCAD rally site around Pathumwan Intersection, and said that the guards would do so in all other PCAD protest sites across Bangkok as well.

This is robbery. Only the police has the authority to confiscate alleged counterfeit merchandise, generally on the strength of a court order.

[manarak]

I'd be interested to see in detail the counterfeit whistles.

Because if they are only standard whistles with a Thai flag on them, the design cannot be protected.

[gerry1011]

The BlueSky whistle mafia monopoly….

Now, on top of dirty tricks, Suthep and the Dems go for under the table whistle sales...

Another case for the DSI to catch these criminals for tax evasion and money laundering...

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rickirs]

By what legal authority can Blue Sky security guards go outside corporate grounds into public property to accost the public and confiscate property? And if someone resists, are the guards allowed to use force? The police need to come down hard on Blue Sky and its guards for this lawless behavior, and every vendor who is subjected to this tryanny should bring a class action lawsuit against Blue Sky.

[Maestro]

...and stated that these actions amount to copyrights infringement.

AFAIK, BlueSky can only claim copyright infringement if they have actually copyrighted their products.....

You are probably thinking of patent protection, which is a different thing. A so-called copyright, ie an intellectual property right (IPR) is automatically acquired, without registration, with the publication of a product created with one's intellect. IPR is not intended to be a substitute for patent rights.

I am not aware of any Thai government agency where an IPR/copyright can be registered. If I want to sue somebody for copying something I have published I have to prove in court that it was I who created the text.

The closest thing to copyright registration would be to deposit a copy of my text with the National Library in Washington DC, USA, which will then send me an acknowledgement of receipt, an official record of the document being deposited there: http://www.copyright.gov/eco/. Does Thailand offer an equivalent of this service?

[Tokay]

Someone get Chalerm on this ASAP. We need to get this knock-off whistles off the streets within 3 months.

[PMZ]

Oh good grief!!!!

[Docno]

Seems like they (Suthep and his cronies) would rather squeeze some serious baht out of this (999 for a whistle???) than give some bottom-rung vendors a chance to make a little cash as the Bangkok economy is brought to a standstill. And I thought they denied being a movement of the elites/middle-class....