Thai actress to file charges against an American author over 'hooker' book

[unanimosity]

Odd that he would be so dimwitted to use a non authorized photo or not have a release. He could very easily have had a photo taken of virtually any Thai girl for a release and use contract and offer some small payment.

Is it not possible that he picked up the photo from a royalty free stock photo site and that the photo was offered there by the photographer that took the photo who may in fact have a release? This might cause her to take more issue with the book content than the photo usage, if she gave a blanket release.

[Andre0720]

So she should file charges....

No such thing as 'Hookers' in Thailand..

Only ladies ''taking care''....

[ttthailand]

I say give him the same as they would give a Thai....500 baht and don't do it again.

But really, how stupid can you be to use a photo of someone famous on your cover without their permission. Just wonder what other stupid stuff is in this book. Not worth the read I think....

[Genericnic]

The "author" is an idiot, he should have hired a "model" and gotten a signed release for the photo. I do find it funny that the sentence she cited as offensive stated,,," you don't have to look good or have a lot of money" the implication being that this is false (about her). pretty funny.

As she notes, "According to Ms. Usanee, the photo was from a set of fashion shoots she did for Mixx magazine several years ago."

It is unlikely that she holds the copyright to the photo and he would not have to ask her for permission to use it. It is possible (though unlikely) that he got permission from the copyright holder to use the image. If the copyright holder had a very broad release, which is quite possible, she is probably out of luck. My bet is that he didn't do his homework and used the photo without a release.

David

[alfalfa19]

Nice photo, at any rate. Thanks for the mammaries.

[ClutchClark]

Here's his "bio" and supposedly his picture.... http://www.amazon.com/Seven/e/B008BH0JM8/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

and one of his facebook pages

https://www.facebook.com/godsofthailand

Wondering how many of those pictures are "Models" that gave a release or "didn't" give a release?

Those are mostly professional photo shoots...and most of those "models" are far more top heavy than any ladies on Samui.

Guessing he high-graded most all of them.

[spidermike007]

It is well known that many Thai actresses are available for the evening, for the right price. Of course that is a high price, ranging from 10,000 baht to 60,000 baht, from what I am told by reliable sources who partake of this action. Of course this particular woman may not be a participant. It is essentially the same in the US. But, in the US , for many beautiful women, of a certain age range, it is an undeterminable quantity of cash, gifts, cars, apartments, and other prizes required to get to the action part. This relates to both actresses and civilians. What is the difference one may ask?

[unanimosity]

Let's hold off judgement on whether or not the author violated any copyright restrictions on the photo. She may have signed a release to the photographer who took the picture and the author may have paid the photographer for it's use

Don't you think that the Thai Girl in the above photo from Thai Love Links.com signed a release for her photo to be used in advertising for that web site, and if paid for, don't you think that the copyright holder could use it for another advertising program that she may or may not like. A release is a release

But you have to laugh at her naivety thinking that reporting something to the Thai police makes any difference in the rest of the world

Hey puff brains this is a civil problem, not a criminal one

A release is not a release any more than a lease is a lease. If a model signs a blanket release, which sometimes happens with upstart models trying to build portfolios on the cheap, the photo may ostensibly be used for any legal purpose that does not violate what reasonable minds would concur is offensive. However, established first-world celebrities and models will only sign a release for specific usage rights in consideration of payment received and a release may also be limited to a specific time period.

[MobileContent]

The writer is a stupid guy. It is just a matter of time and he will be kicked out of Thailand.

[unanimosity]

It is well known that many Thai actresses are available for the evening, for the right price. Of course that is a high price, ranging from 10,000 baht to 60,000 baht, from what I am told by reliable sources who partake of this action. Of course this particular woman may not be a participant. It is essentially the same in the US. But, in the US , for many beautiful women, of a certain age range, it is an undeterminable quantity of cash, gifts, cars, apartments, and other prizes required to get to the action part. This relates to both actresses and civilians. What is the difference one may ask?

Son, the only actress you are gonna get for 300 bucks is Lassie's great grandmother. You couldn't even get Whoopy Goldberg or Rosie O'Donnell--not that you'd want to--for ten times that.

[Pralaad]

How many foreigners watch Thai soaps?

How many Thai read foreign books?

How many books are sold on Amazon?

How exactly did she "come across" this section and this book?

[kamahele]

Whether it was the author or the publisher, if done without her permission, they should pay damages.

[bristolgeoff]

if she kept quite it would have had little sales.a few quid for the author.now with this the sales will boom for him.

[Thaiready]

So he did a Google Search for a Hooker in Thailand and Bam.....your pic.....hummm

[spidermike007]

It is well known that many Thai actresses are available for the evening, for the right price. Of course that is a high price, ranging from 10,000 baht to 60,000 baht, from what I am told by reliable sources who partake of this action. Of course this particular woman may not be a participant. It is essentially the same in the US. But, in the US , for many beautiful women, of a certain age range, it is an undeterminable quantity of cash, gifts, cars, apartments, and other prizes required to get to the action part. This relates to both actresses and civilians. What is the difference one may ask?

Son, the only actress you are gonna get for 300 bucks is Lassie's great grandmother. You couldn't even get Whoopy Goldberg or Rosie O'Donnell--not that you'd want to--for ten times that.

I said Thai actresses, and that is for short time. And son, these are facts. Why would anyone in their right mind want an American actress? For any price. Or even for free?

[unanimosity]

If the author of the book has indeed used the photo without permission I hope the court throws the book at him.

I think what shock she must got when she first saw her picture on the hooker book....

In entertainment and public life the rule is that there is no bad publicity. Didn't hurt Clinton and he even shook his finger and lied about it. Hasn't hurt Obama and he was reportedly practicing his debate against Romney while the Benghazi ambassador and three other Americans were being slaughtered then lied that spontaneous protesters killed them instead of the al-Qaeda-linked militants everybody in the loop knew were responsible.

[trainman34014]

This bloke may be the twit of the year but he may not. How do we know he's not sitting in a deckchair in Barbados with a G+T and smiling at the thought of this woman trying to take legal action against him. After all; after living here for a while most of us could write a book or mag' about what goes on and stick a picture on the front of some fine looking woman.

[rabas]

Let's hold off judgement on whether or not the author violated any copyright restrictions on the photo. She may have signed a release to the photographer who took the picture and the author may have paid the photographer for it's use

Don't you think that the Thai Girl in the above photo from Thai Love Links.com signed a release for her photo to be used in advertising for that web site, and if paid for, don't you think that the copyright holder could use it for another advertising program that she may or may not like. A release is a release

But you have to laugh at her naivety thinking that reporting something to the Thai police makes any difference in the rest of the world

Hey puff brains this is a civil problem, not a criminal one

But you have to laugh at her naivety thinking that reporting something to the Thai police makes any difference in the rest of the world.

It's often required or prudent before bringing a civil lawsuit against someone, I had to in a case I filed. The police reports are then submitted as part of the evidence. You can also get the police to investigate certain aspects of the case that you want to verify.

[Showbags]

If the author cannot even get the cover right...the content of the book must be even worse.

[atyclb]

The books author is liable for fraudulently representing what the average hooker looks like as they sure don't typically look like her (farang market)

Didn't a well known massage place in bkk emmanuelle have to remove the huge billboard of the baywatch girl after she took legal action.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Ahh...it seems there's two different versions at least of this book.... one paperback and one Kindle ebook, each with different cover photos...

But the woman on the cover of the e-book looks kind of familiar from somewhere also.... and I don't mean from some bar on the guy's island home.

Paperback version with Nok:

http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Hookers-101-Prostitutes-Thailand/dp/1481852795/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1399432008&sr=1-1

Kindle version with different cover:

http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Hookers-101-Prostitutes-Thailand-ebook/dp/B009AML8PA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1399432008

Both listed as having been published in late 2012, so this stuff has been around for awhile.

Edited May 7, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[wandasloan]

She's going to sell a lot of those books for that guy.

She should be so lucky. With this vanity-published book already climbing in popularity all the way to 218,974 on the e-book best-sellers list, she's not going to get any money off him worthwhile. She can afford a US lawyer, though, and thus make the guy look even stupider than he is. And she and the shyster play it right, she can get a few dollars out of Amazon for pimping and profiting off this illegal book, enough to pay off the mouthpiece and come out even or a little better, anyhow.

.

[RtotheC]

I just wish i could make that ping ping ball popping sound the touts are making on khao san road on this forum. What does she expect? despite being illegal prostitution is Thailand is perhaps the largest and well known prostitution market in the entire world. That's a fact, not slander.

[misterphil]

Big trouble in Thailand for this author now. Ms Wattanna will have more cash than him for a lawyer to get him banged up, so he's pretty screwed. A cool sharp exit is required.

[AYJAYDEE]

It is a fact that there are many more hookers in Thailand than most counties in the world. Thai people should learn to accept it and live with it. Sex is cheap and plentiful here.

got any stats to back that up?

[laurentbkk]

What disturb me the most is the name they give to this girl , Thai actress .... When you play in silly soap opera you are far to be an actress ... She should be happy , he career will boost .

[AYJAYDEE]

I just wish i could make that ping ping ball popping sound the touts are making on khao san road on this forum. What does she expect? despite being illegal prostitution is Thailand is perhaps the largest and well known prostitution market in the entire world. That's a fact, not slander.

got stats to back that fact?

[laurentbkk]

It is a fact that there are many more hookers in Thailand than most counties in the world. Thai people should learn to accept it and live with it. Sex is cheap and plentiful here.

got any stats to back that up?

I don't think there are any stats in a country where officially prostitution doesn't exist .. But I rarely see sex tourists go to NYC or London for their holidays ..

[tingtongteesood]

Although I must admit feeling a great deal of sympathy for the girl, if you are going to take photos like that and plaster them all over the internet, you can only expect....uh....a certain image, if you represent yourself that way then people will think of you that way. She is just a young wannabe grasping for attention 'Look ! Look at me ! I have big tits ! Look at them ! Love me ! Give me publicity ! I want to be famous and make nlots of money !!!' Well, she got some attention, but not the kind she wanted, but that is herown fault to a certain extent.

Seems a little bit hypocritical as so many Thais steal intellectual properties and sell copies of them to make money. You could see this as a similar misuse / abuse of intellectual property ( though I use that term loosely for slutty photos ). If Thailand's court system does try to pursue this then it will be teasing the corners of the lid of Pandora's box and could lead to a flurry of court action against Thailand.....I actually kind of hope it happens...

Edited May 7, 2014 by tingtongteesood

[FredNL]

I wonder when the release of the movie / dvd: "Thai Hookers 101 - What You MUST Know About ..." is due ???

Will she have a part in it ???

Edited May 7, 2014 by FredNL