In Thailand, copyright enforcement comes as a shock

[sms747]

Backstage, Sodsai Rungpothong, at 62 one of the grandees of the scene, argued that point, too, saying that traveling Mor Lam bands help popularize GMM Grammy's songs. "We are all Thai. Can't we just get along?" he said.

That's rich coming from him, he's a democrat MP, or rather he was. He would not have been happy had people copied his stuff, maybe he did have a few tapes copied!

Edited March 31, 2014 by sms747

[wolfmanjack]

Most of the best fake watches are actually manufactured in Turkey not China or thailand asia and contain Japanese movements

i was told the best fake watches came from taiwan.

[GeorgeO]

I must say I don't have a lot of sympathy with the music industry in general as the fees they charge are outrageous. I inquired about using some of CCR's famous Vietnam War era song "Run Through the Jungle" for a documentary I am working on. The fee I was quoted was USD30,000 to use just 15 seconds of the song and this was only for a 3 year period. After that I would have had to re license the track again or cut if from the doco. Considering the doco would cost less than half that to make I found the fee ludicrous.

I agree Allan.

They argue that the prices need to be set at high levels to cover the massive up-front costs involved in producing an album; however, what they fail to admit to is the fact that the album costs for any major star will be recouped within about 15 days. After that, everything else, for the next couple of years, is shameless profit.

Pressing a CD costs less than 5 pence, but it can cost you 15 to 20 quid in the high-end outlets. Is there any wonder that people buy copies...!!!?

[GeorgeO]

This is only the first tiny little shock wave. I'm waiting for the tsunami heading for the shores when ASEAN takes place...

ASEAN is hardly Armageddon. It will be another non-event.

...oh, I don't know ... it could be as devastating as Y2K...!!

[sms747]

I must say I don't have a lot of sympathy with the music industry in general as the fees they charge are outrageous. I inquired about using some of CCR's famous Vietnam War era song "Run Through the Jungle" for a documentary I am working on. The fee I was quoted was USD30,000 to use just 15 seconds of the song and this was only for a 3 year period. After that I would have had to re license the track again or cut if from the doco. Considering the doco would cost less than half that to make I found the fee ludicrous.

I agree Allan.

They argue that the prices need to be set at high levels to cover the massive up-front costs involved in producing an album; however, what they fail to admit to is the fact that the album costs for any major star will be recouped within about 15 days. After that, everything else, for the next couple of years, is shameless profit.

Pressing a CD costs less than 5 pence, but it can cost you 15 to 20 quid in the high-end outlets. Is there any wonder that people buy copies...!!!?

The article and surely the thread is about Thai music and not western. People will buy copies even if they are 10 baht cheaper, despite being poor quality with rubbish printing. The argument that the companies are 'ripping us off for too long' so theft is OK is like saying cars are so expensive so it's alright to buy a stolen one. There is no justification for stealing other peoples work, be it a companies property or the individual artist.

Edited March 31, 2014 by sms747

[unanimosity]

Would love to see any Thai Government office raided and have the cops reveal what software is on the computers.

Vindo jet.

[unanimosity]

I must say I don't have a lot of sympathy with the music industry in general as the fees they charge are outrageous. I inquired about using some of CCR's famous Vietnam War era song "Run Through the Jungle" for a documentary I am working on. The fee I was quoted was USD30,000 to use just 15 seconds of the song and this was only for a 3 year period. After that I would have had to re license the track again or cut if from the doco. Considering the doco would cost less than half that to make I found the fee ludicrous.

I agree Allan.

They argue that the prices need to be set at high levels to cover the massive up-front costs involved in producing an album; however, what they fail to admit to is the fact that the album costs for any major star will be recouped within about 15 days. After that, everything else, for the next couple of years, is shameless profit.

Pressing a CD costs less than 5 pence, but it can cost you 15 to 20 quid in the high-end outlets. Is there any wonder that people buy copies...!!!?

So you think you should be able to steal gems from Tiffany's because they are over priced? Look, it is their property to do with at they please. If it costs too much for you, buy something else. As for the documentary license fee for CCR, you are producing a 15K product and why would CCR or any other legitimately successful band want to be associated with a project that cost less to produce than it would cost for a few days of camera, crane, and lights rentals? There is value in having a CCR tune in your soundtrack. You want the value but don't want to pay for it.

[BudRight]

It's ironic since GMM Grammy stole their name from a music award in the US.

[Escapologist]

From the hotel lobby PC: "This is not a valid copy of windows"... to the giant Bangkok electronic billboard: "This licence has expired". Something tells me that Thailand is not taking intellectual property rights as seriously as this article wants to suggest!

[belg]

nothing made here is ment to last very long

[surangw]

its all free on youtube, isn't it?

easy to download and save

[sms747]

It's ironic since GMM Grammy stole their name from a music award in the US.

Apple stole their name from the Beatles then, it's a bit more than about the use of a name!

[sms747]

Grammy international:

https://www.youtube.com/user/grammyinter

[Loles]

Yes the globalization is coming.

You have to pay for everything for the world exploiter sharks. May be for breathed air also will be charged.

I hope they get a schock and not the Thais

This is Thailand, so the hope is didn't die.

[Loles]

I must say I don't have a lot of sympathy with the music industry in general as the fees they charge are outrageous. I inquired about using some of CCR's famous Vietnam War era song "Run Through the Jungle" for a documentary I am working on. The fee I was quoted was USD30,000 to use just 15 seconds of the song and this was only for a 3 year period. After that I would have had to re license the track again or cut if from the doco. Considering the doco would cost less than half that to make I found the fee ludicrous.

I agree Allan.

They argue that the prices need to be set at high levels to cover the massive up-front costs involved in producing an album; however, what they fail to admit to is the fact that the album costs for any major star will be recouped within about 15 days. After that, everything else, for the next couple of years, is shameless profit.

Pressing a CD costs less than 5 pence, but it can cost you 15 to 20 quid in the high-end outlets. Is there any wonder that people buy copies...!!!?

So you think you should be able to steal gems from Tiffany's because they are over priced? Look, it is their property to do with at they please. If it costs too much for you, buy something else. As for the documentary license fee for CCR, you are producing a 15K product and why would CCR or any other legitimately successful band want to be associated with a project that cost less to produce than it would cost for a few days of camera, crane, and lights rentals? There is value in having a CCR tune in your soundtrack. You want the value but don't want to pay for it.

You can f@kk your Tiffany man. Who are you? A volunteer police officer ?

Edited March 31, 2014 by Loles

[englishoak]

I'm not a fan of copyright, music is a little different, where artists that sell direct on say download im fine with if they get the money but not the licencing co owners that sell a CD for 300bht where the artist gets maybe 5bht cut.

Same thing with clothing nike t shirt costing 40bht to make costing 1500 bht or the copy that is exactly the same in quality but only 99bht.. whos ripping off the public ? nike or the copier ?

Edited March 31, 2014 by englishoak

[BudRight]

It's ironic since GMM Grammy stole their name from a music award in the US.

Apple stole their name from the Beatles then, it's a bit more than about the use of a name!

I don't see the award people litigating GMM for three decades.

[3NUMBAS]

theyll be laughing their sox off at pantip plaza 5555

[rayw]

Quite simply the reason for piracy is rip off prices and ridiculous excessive profits and salaries for the CEOs and the producers of these pirated products, whether it be music, video, watches, clothes or whatever.

So also quite simply the ONLY way to drastically reduce piracy is to make it not worth while by lowering those rip off prices to a level where folk wont bother to want pirate copies. Certainly so true of the music and video industries where not only the producers take fat cat salaries but folks like the actors are grossly overpaid too. Until the rip off fat cats learn some decency I say long live piracy as does tend to keep genuine goods prices lower and they need to be lower yet.

Nothing more we can add on this now boring topic which just goes on and on year in year out and will never be cured until the cause of the problem, yes the rip offs, stops.

[tingtongteesood]

Quite simply the reason for piracy is rip off prices and ridiculous excessive profits and salaries for the CEOs and the producers of these pirated products, whether it be music, video, watches, clothes or whatever.

So also quite simply the ONLY way to drastically reduce piracy is to make it not worth while by lowering those rip off prices to a level where folk wont bother to want pirate copies. Certainly so true of the music and video industries where not only the producers take fat cat salaries but folks like the actors are grossly overpaid too. Until the rip off fat cats learn some decency I say long live piracy as does tend to keep genuine goods prices lower and they need to be lower yet.

Nothing more we can add on this now boring topic which just goes on and on year in year out and will never be cured until the cause of the problem, yes the rip offs, stops.

So forgetting for the moment how much it costs to produce a decent movie or a properly studio recorded cd, not to mention the costs of producing discs, promoting them and trying to make sure there is enough income so that the artist, producer, and shop can all make something on it and pay their expenses, how much do you think a dvd of a movie or a CD album should cost then ? If everyone is going to get it for free then what is the point in making it at all ?! I bet you download everything right ? This is part of the problem these days, people like you with a sense of entitlement who think the entire world owes them something for some reason, you think that your paying your internet bill entitles you to download ( steal ) whatever you want. Stop whining and pay for a damn dvd, it is only a few dollars ( normally around 200 baht, often a little less ), or wait 6 months and watch it on tv....

[gandalf12]

What beats me is that the likes of Rolex, GUCCI, Louis Vitton etc. haven't had their own investigators here for the last decade, to try to combine visits to Laos and Myanmar, and locate the large watch/bag/jeans factory producing all the fakes. So a Thai company is asking for royalties, because Thai bands now copy their ownership rights. Cobblers..... complete and utter rubbish if this gets anywhere. The BIB take the money to permit production...... as the BIB takes from everything else illegal.....

Try taking a fake Rolex or the like in to get anything done to it and you can say good bye to it. The watch will be confiscated and the police notified

[Why ask]

What beats me is that the likes of Rolex, GUCCI, Louis Vitton etc. haven't had their own investigators here for the last decade, to try to combine visits to Laos and Myanmar, and locate the large watch/bag/jeans factory producing all the fakes. So a Thai company is asking for royalties, because Thai bands now copy their ownership rights. Cobblers..... complete and utter rubbish if this gets anywhere. The BIB take the money to permit production...... as the BIB takes from everything else illegal.....

Try taking a fake Rolex or the like in to get anything done to it and you can say good bye to it. The watch will be confiscated and the police notified

Sorry, I only wear a real one, and when I take it for service I make sure it is never out of sight, as I know it would come back with a CITIZEN interior otherwise.

[GeorgeO]

I must say I don't have a lot of sympathy with the music industry in general as the fees they charge are outrageous. I inquired about using some of CCR's famous Vietnam War era song "Run Through the Jungle" for a documentary I am working on. The fee I was quoted was USD30,000 to use just 15 seconds of the song and this was only for a 3 year period. After that I would have had to re license the track again or cut if from the doco. Considering the doco would cost less than half that to make I found the fee ludicrous.

I agree Allan.

They argue that the prices need to be set at high levels to cover the massive up-front costs involved in producing an album; however, what they fail to admit to is the fact that the album costs for any major star will be recouped within about 15 days. After that, everything else, for the next couple of years, is shameless profit.

Pressing a CD costs less than 5 pence, but it can cost you 15 to 20 quid in the high-end outlets. Is there any wonder that people buy copies...!!!?

The article and surely the thread is about Thai music and not western. People will buy copies even if they are 10 baht cheaper, despite being poor quality with rubbish printing. The argument that the companies are 'ripping us off for too long' so theft is OK is like saying cars are so expensive so it's alright to buy a stolen one. There is no justification for stealing other peoples work, be it a companies property or the individual artist.

I'm sorry, but that is surely comparing apples with oranges.

A car is not sold for thousands of times its face value. A car costs a certain amount to make (including all overheads, wages, etc.) and is then sold at that price plus an appropriate profit.

If the same calculation were applied to CDs, companies would have to estimate the total potential sales of an album, divide that by the total costs of production, and then apply an appropriate fair price.

To my mind, the appropriate price in the west would be somewhere around GBP3:50. All parties would make good profits and there would be no incentive for anyone to produce copies...!!

[sms747]

Yes the globalization is coming.

You have to pay for everything for the world exploiter sharks. May be for breathed air also will be charged.

I hope they get a schock and not the Thais

This is Thailand, so the hope is didn't die.

You think 145 baht for a DVD album here is exploitative? Recording companies are not charities

[sms747]

Nothing more we can add on this now boring topic which just goes on and on year in year out and will never be cured until the cause of the problem, yes the rip offs, stops.

so what would be a fair, non 'rip off' price for an album in Thailand do you think?

[chooka]

Shopping for a new laptop in a large electronics store in Chiangmai I asked about the Microsoft word program. I was told I had two options pay for a licenced copy or they can install a pirated copy for a fraction of the costs.

[BritManToo]

Nothing more we can add on this now boring topic which just goes on and on year in year out and will never be cured until the cause of the problem, yes the rip offs, stops.

so what would be a fair, non 'rip off' price for an album in Thailand do you think?

Free!

Musicians should allow their music to be downloaded free of charge and make money from live performance.

[sms747]

Nothing more we can add on this now boring topic which just goes on and on year in year out and will never be cured until the cause of the problem, yes the rip offs, stops.

so what would be a fair, non 'rip off' price for an album in Thailand do you think?

Free!

Musicians should allow their music to be downloaded free of charge and make money from live performance.

There is not enough income from live performance, how much do you imagine a Thai performer charges for a live concert, then who pays for the stages, lighting, transport, dancers, make up, security, promotion, song writers etc etc. All this dippy hippy nonsense about 'free music' is just that, why should it be free any more than any other pleasure in life? If what you propose were to happen concert charges would go through the roof and be unaffordable here. Also the majority of concerts in Thailand are free for the audience, so no income there either, if they had to pay more than 100 baht many will not bother as there is a culture of free entertainment here, especially at wat fairs, radio concerts and tv concerts.

Often artists at a free concert will sell their albums for 100 baht, maybe you think they should not be 'ripping off' the audience like this?

Edited April 1, 2014 by sms747

[BritManToo]

Nothing more we can add on this now boring topic which just goes on and on year in year out and will never be cured until the cause of the problem, yes the rip offs, stops.

so what would be a fair, non 'rip off' price for an album in Thailand do you think?

Free!

Musicians should allow their music to be downloaded free of charge and make money from live performance.

There is not enough income from live performance, how much do you imagine a Thai performer charges for a live concert, then who pays for the stages, lighting, transport, dancers, make up, security, promotion, song writers etc etc. All this dippy hippy <deleted> about 'free music' is just that, why should it be free any more than any other pleasure in life?

Seem to be lots of Thai musicians playing in local bars and clubs around CM.

The dancers and band at the local temple concerts, have stages and seem to be making money.

Shouldn't real bands be writing their own songs?

One of the largest problems in the world, people thinking they need to pay for enjoyment and entertainment.

Lazy western thinking from people with too much money and too little imagination.

The best things in life are free.

Edited April 1, 2014 by BritManToo

[moe666]

What beats me is that the likes of Rolex, GUCCI, Louis Vitton etc. haven't had their own investigators here for the last decade, to try to combine visits to Laos and Myanmar, and locate the large watch/bag/jeans factory producing all the fakes. So a Thai company is asking for royalties, because Thai bands now copy their ownership rights. Cobblers..... complete and utter rubbish if this gets anywhere. The BIB take the money to permit production...... as the BIB takes from everything else illegal.....

About 10 years ago I was schooled by a guy who knew his fake rolex watches at that time the best ones came from Taiwan and second best from Hong Kong and the difference was remarkable