Thailand weighs suit against Singaporean organizers of ‘SONGKRAN’

[captnhoy]

YES!

And the western world is considering filing suit against Thailand for celebrating OUR New Year

[monkeycountry]

Just remember Thailand that you already stole X-mas, Valentines day and pretty much every other celebratory day ever invented - not to mention breaching pretty much every copyright I can think of. I know of course that Thainess dictates that stealing is ok, as long as it is Thais doing the stealing

[johnnytuc]

What moronic hypocrisy , coming out of country where the justice system depends on how big your pile of baths is!

[Morakot]

Thailand weighs suit against Singaporean organizers of ‘SONGKRAN’

Litigant non compos mentis!

Edited March 20, 2014 by Morakot

[GeorgeO]

So this headline just two days ago didn't exist then ......

Thai tourism authority welcomes Songkran in Singapore
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 18 – The Tourism and Sports Ministry has no objection to a planned Songkran festival in Singapore on April 12-13.

Suwat Sidthilaw, Tourism and Sports Ministry permanent secretary, said Thailand could not prohibit Singapore from organising the Thai traditional water-splashing event.

He was referring to a report on website PRLog.org about the Songkran Festival at The Padang opposite the City Hall.

Having the festival outside Thailand will help promote Thai traditions, he said, adding that the Tourism Authority of Thailand will support the Songkran festival in several provinces including Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Samut Prakarn. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-03-18

[Erwan CHARLES]

LOL Thailand suing a foreign country about Intellectual Property Rights?

Interesting concept...

[ppmacready]

I'm amazed how Thailand is doing so well having been run by Royalists for decades who learnt nothing in the west.

[fabphil]

555 thailand suing some else for copy right breach...this has gotta be a joke

[godden]

bit rich Thailand to sue over copywright.

[Time Traveller]

Maybe France can also sue Thailand because there are many restaurants in Thailand that sell French Fries. And America can also sue Thailand for selling American Fried Rice.

It's embarrassing for Thai people that Thai Tourism has such buffons working as officials.

[BKK Butch]

Do those so called ministers have nothing better to do than making a fool of themselves.......this is another example of a ridiculous comment!!

[janpharma]

Maybe Signaporeans can show Songkran in a more civilised version, not as in many places in Thailand where bunches of drunken fools throw coloured fluids, cause accidents and fights....Who the hell can enjoy this? Many will close their doors and wait until it's over again.

[webfact]

Official: No Plan To Sue Singapore Over Songkran
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK: -- Head of the Thai cultural watchdog has disputed reports which indicate that the Thai authorities are taking legal action against Singapore for organising the Thai traditional New Year festival.

Billed as the "Largest water festival celebration party in Singapore" and "The largest Songkran outside Thailand", the event be held on 12-13 April, featuring water-splashing fights and music performance.

According to information on its website, the event appears to be co-hosted by several private companies, without direct partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) or the Thai consulates - unlike Songkran celebrations in other overseas Thai communities, such as Australia and Hong Kong.

The news has received mixed reaction from the online community in Thailand. While many welcome the event as a proof that Songkran has become so successful and widely recognised by international audience that it was adopted by foreign organisers, others accused the Singaporeans of "stealing" the Thai tradition.

Debate intensified after several media agencies quoted Ms. Yupa Taweewattanakijbaworn, Director of the Culture Surveillance Bureau, as saying that her agency was considering a lawsuit against the island nation over the "unauthorised" celebration of Songkran Festival.

Ms. Yupa was also quoted as saying that the Singaporeans have "distorted" the tradition of Songkran by using it to solely promote tourism without paying tribute to the cultural roots behindthe festival.

The reports have baffled many observers, leading one prominent historian to comment on his Facebook page that it is incredible any Thai official would proclaim the ownership of Songkran since the tradition has been inherited from Thailand's neighbouring cultures, and it is still celebrated in the region beyond Thailand.

However, Ms. Yupa told Khaosod late yesterday that her agency, which operates under the Ministry of Culture, has no intention to file any lawsuit against Singapore.

"I never said anything like that," Ms. Yupa insisted, "Such reports have caused damage to me, and to the Ministry of Culture".

The director of Thai cultural watchdog claimed that she merely said in previous interviews that she postively views the Singaporean Songkran as good PR for Thai Songkran, and expressed her wish that the Singaporeans would "play Songkran correctly" in accordance to the Thai tradtion.

"It's a sensitive subject. I don't want to cause any disturbance to international relations," Ms. Yupa complained, adding that she's distraught to see her "misquotes" being amplified and "distorted" on the social network.

Other tourism officials have also downplayed any impact the Singaporean Songkran might cause to Thailand.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Somsak Pureesrisak said he is delighted to see Singaporeans adopting Songkran celebration, which he believes would help promote the tourism for both Thailand and Singapore, while Department of Cultural Promotion Director Chai Nakhonchai commented that Songkran has been a "shared tradition" among Southeast Asian nations for centuries.

Meanwhile, Mr. Somchart Pimthanapoonphon, chairman of Hatyai-Songkhla Hotel Association, dismissed concerns that the Singaporean Songkran would affect Thai tourism. He noted that Malaysian organisers have staged their own Songkran event in the past, yet it was not as "fun" as Thai Songkran, and foreign tourists still kept coming to enjoy the Thai festival.

"I think tourists will still prefer Songkran in Hat Yai." Mr. Somchart said, "Moreover, it's much cheaper here than Singapore".

However, Mr. Visoot Buachoom, director of Chiang Mai's chapter of the TAT, voiced his suspicion over the motives of the Singaporeans to organise their own Songkran festival.

"If you look at it in a negative way, you might have the idea that they are being opportunists, using their neighbour's culture for their own gain," Mr. Visoot said, "It's not appropriate, because it is a disrespect to the rights and unique identity of other cultures".

But Mr. Visoot also expressed his confidence that many foreign tourists will find Songkran in Thailand more attractive, due to the "orignality" and fun.

He estimated that 100,000 tourists will flood into Chiang Mai province during Songkran holidays, generating revenues over 1.2 billion baht.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1395287595


-- Khaosod English 2014-03-20

[Card]

She added TAT is studying methods of registering trademarks for Thai traditions such as Songkran and Loy Krathong to prevent other countries in ASEAN from stealing them.

Hahaha come on TAT... Thailand, the hub of copying everything they possibly can second only to China and as for trademark breech..... Bwahahahahahaha

I wonder how many Singaporean passports, driving licenses and ID cards Thai authorities have allowed their forgery rings to forge and sell totally unchecked?

I will likely try the Singapore songkran out because I am bored with the Thai version and avoid it now.

The last three I attended here in Korat have erupted into gang fights swinging machetes around and throwing bottles at each other with innocent people and children in the crowd getting hit.

Surprised about the violence as I was always amazed how tolerant people were in the water fights. They tried one out in London invitation via Facebook for a water fight and I knew what woiuld happen - ended up with the police being called after violence erupted. Completely mindless stupidity. And yes, Thailand, or rather Tatland, complains about infringment of their IP, eg Americans growing rice using genes from Thai rice, and they complained like hell. Then you walk down any market/mall and see western products copied willy nilly. Serves the b***ers right.

[atyclb]

They may also wish to sue some other countries for "corruption copy-write infringement"

[marko kok prong]

Of course the singapore version will be different,no music blasting out at 6am,no beer drinking at 6 am,no crazed driving and hundreds of road deaths,no mass brawls,hopefully none of that white chalk like stuff thrown all over your car,an no unwanted soakings,this year i will buy beer and smokes,and lock myself in my study for the duration,after 4 days of sleep deprivation last year,all i needed was an orange jumpsuit and i really believe i would have felt at home in gitmo.

[PattayaPhom]

Bastille day nowhere else but France, St Patricks Day nowhere else but Ireland......what a joke.

[Tanlic]

Songkran is to Thailand is what Hogmanay is to Scotland......it belongs to them and no one but no one should use/steal the name.

Bog off Singapore and find your own name.

[bronco10250]

When I thought it couldn't get any worse, Thailand really amazes me. Where in the hell do they get these people to run these departments.

Same place they got the people to run their radar..

Best post ever :-)

[Lee4Life]

If you follow this train of logic then which country in the world is the "copyright owner" of New Years? (the Jan.1st version), and Christmas? the list goes on and on.

One of my local friends asked me, "isn't it true that Pepsi was invented in Asia and then stolen by the Farangs?". Another friend said " how come you foreigners have taken our word for beer?"

Just smile! because that's all you can do!

[Just1Voice]

Just when I think Thai can't be any more stupid.....

[Patje]

Maybe she can also find a way of protecting the " Thai smile"

[Dogmatix]

A ridiculous idea. All the Buddhist countries in the region celebrate Songkran, albeit not in the disgusting way that Songkran in Thailand has degenerated to.

So, should the Vatican City or maybe even Palestine register the trademark of "Christmas" and sue other countries for celebrating it? Who owns the "New Year" and "Halloween" trademarks?

Stop acting like retarded children and grow up. If Singapore and more countries celebrate Songkran, it will become better known, resulting in more people wanting to experience it in Thailand, so long as they don't realise how revolting the "real thing" has become.

[Eric Loh]

_{Singapore had Songkran celebration for years in Beach Road were most Thais congregate. Just that this time the media reported it and got the Thai Tourism officials ruffle up. Copyright? This as funny as the Malaysia trying to copyright Penang Laksa or the Indonesian trying to copyright a common Malay folk song.}

[Patje]

Come to Venice in Hua Hin, Swiss farm in Cha Am , Safari world in Bkk.....Need I go on?

Oh by the way, the Chinese want their Panda back

[Overcome]

A classic case where he should have kept silent and risk being thought a fool rather than speaking up and removing any doubt. No way can Thailand claim ownership of the term 'Songkran' but could now legitimately claim exclusivity on the most stupid statement of the decade.

Next he will lay claim to Christmas - but as we know the Grinch got in first.

[Dogmatix]

Maybe she can also find a way of protecting the " Thai smile"

Not to mention the "Thai Massage" trademark which outside Thailand now means a perfunctory oil massage with a happy ending. Turkey took action against the use of the term "Turkish Bath" in Japan and they all changed to "Hamams" which the Turks didn't object to.

[manhood]

Well this stupid idea can only found in thai brain!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who the hell want to make a trade mark for New Year or any Buddah days????????

[spidermike007]

A bit of a childish reaction to a simple festival? We own Songkran. Nobody else can celebrate it. It is ours. We invented it, and we are the only ones who have the right to create a festival around it. Na na na na na. I do not like it. I do not want anyone touching my holiday. This is not fair. They are not respecting, and bowing down to us. Not right. Lets sue. If we show them our might, maybe they will back down. They do not need the festival. They are already rich.

[baboon]

Songkran is to Thailand is what Hogmanay is to Scotland......it belongs to them and no one but no one should use/steal the name.

Bog off Singapore and find your own name.

I think this is the whole point. They just want to keep the name, which I feel would be reasonable enough if they weren't such prolific, err, 'borrowers' themselves.