Thai govt hopeful of upgrade from US Priority Watch

[webfact]

Govt hopeful of upgrade from US Priority Watch
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE government has high expectations that the United States will upgrade its trade status to the Watch List next year after passage of anti-camcording legislation and serious suppression of illegal goods in 13 notorious markets.

Malee Choklumlerd, director-general of the Intellectual Property Department, said the US should be satisfied with Thailand's attempt to reduce intellectual-property-right infringements and passing of laws to punish violators.

"I believe that the US will consider upgrading our trade status from the Priority Watch List to the Watch List after we demonstrated suppression of IPR violations, passed relevant laws, and increased awareness of IPR in the past years," she said.

The hoped-for upgrade should ensure that Thailand does not face any more trouble trading with the US. Otherwise, the US could cut some assistance or stop granting some trade privileges.

Thailand has been on the Priority Watch List under the US Special 301 Report since 2008 on grounds that it lacks awareness of IPR protection and particular laws to prevent violations.

The government should finally come up with legislation to prevent recording films in cinemas with camcorders. The law will be announced in the Royal Gazette, and should be implemented soon.

The department has also worked closely with the Royal Thai Police to crack down on IP violations in many areas, particularly 13 notorious markets that are known to sell copycat goods. They are in Silom, Pantip, Patong, Patpong, Klong Thom, and other areas.

The department has also worked more closely with the US after Washington sent a team to work with Thai officials for a month, while the Thai government has seriously punished IPR violators.

As a sustainable measure to prevent the sale of copycat goods, the department has also set up a project to encourage traders to sell only legal products.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Govt-hopeful-of-upgrade-from-US-Priority-Watch-30249548.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-11

[Kooweerup]

Speaking for the U.S. Why not just wait and see what they say before making announcements. Thailand shot their mouth off saying they will be upgraded by the U.S on Human rights but instead got downgraded. They said they will get the Tour De France and didn't even rate a mention.

[thesetat2013]

What exactly have they shown besides passing a few laws? None of them have been enforced.

You can still go to all the areas mentioned here and find copied products for sale.

So why would the US take them off of their list?

Do they really think the USA is stupid enough not to see that copies are made and sold here on a regular basis and have not stopped simply for a new law made?

[kalbo123]

Been reading stories like this for the past 20 years, nothing has happened in then mean time.

[Tatsujin]

And in other unrelated news, the US is hopeful that Thailand will stop putting words in other countries mouths and actually does the things they are claiming to do BEFORE announcing them to the world as a success, and reminds them that most other countries tend to measure success based on actual verifiable results not based on simply talking about them with no tangible results to verify.

[NongKhaiKid]

Speaking for the U.S. Why not just wait and see what they say before making announcements. Thailand shot their mouth off saying they will be upgraded by the U.S on Human rights but instead got downgraded. They said they will get the Tour De France and didn't even rate a mention.

It's become a habit hasn't it ?

Every time the PM meets a foreign leader there's a statement on how much support there is for what the junta is doing and always the statement comes from a Thai source.

Within the last day or so the National Police Chief has announced that British investigators were satisfied with how the KT case was handled yet, and not for the first time, silence from London and the British Embassy.

[Robby nz]

Given the latest revelations from the US they really have an bit of a cheek grading other on anything.

Take the plank from your own eye before you take the splinter from your brothers.

[Commerce]

They did take action! The arrested a garbage collector selling 2nd hand CDs for 20 Baht.

Give them credit where credit's due.

[ChrisY1]

Meanwhile in certain major shopping complex in Lad Prao......a sale in under way in the main mall area, of copy sport shoes, bags and camping goods.......all at greatly reduced prices!!!

[thesetat2013]

Given the latest revelations from the US they really have an bit of a cheek grading other on anything.

Take the plank from your own eye before you take the splinter from your brothers.

What a racist comment.

The Usa is very strict about copyrights. Your comment only shows your ignorance

[grumbleweed]

THE government has high expectations that the United States will upgrade its trade status to the Watch List

In the meantime, government schools will continue to operate their computers with pirate software

Edited December 11, 2014 by grumbleweed

[Ulic]

Christmas is around the corner so you can wish for anything.

[FangFerang]

Nothing going on in Thailand harms American manufacturers of any type.

The motion picture industry claims they "lose billions every year" to illegal copies of their films. That statement is a lie. To lose anything one has to possess it first.

If someone watches a movie and really likes it, they will get a real copy, with all the director's commentaries and assorted sundry other useless things now put in the legal copies of movies. The movie industry is in decline, not from illegal copies of movies, but from a decline of quality and a price tag that makes it so a family of four cannot afford to attend a two hour film that turns out to be a waste of time and money.

When Star Wars came out I saw it ten times in the theater -- that was fun. The big screen with all the special effects was a blast. I spent money at the concession stand ten times. Bill Gates cannot afford that now. Nobody does it anymore.

Hollywood has no one but themselves to blame for declining revenues. They are slowly pricing themselves out of the market, and are turning to aggressive tactics to defend their bad decisions. Further, they are putting theaters out of business, and exerting strong influence to make sure independent film makers have very little chance of being seen. That is both price fixing and maintaining a monopoly by consortium.

.

[Robby nz]

Given the latest revelations from the US they really have an bit of a cheek grading other on anything.

Take the plank from your own eye before you take the splinter from your brothers.

What a racist comment.

The Usa is very strict about copyrights. Your comment only shows your ignorance

Yes indeed they are very strict on others in all sorts of things.

A little hint, posting personal insults does not help your cause.

[atyclb]

Given the latest revelations from the US they really have an bit of a cheek grading other on anything.

Take the plank from your own eye before you take the splinter from your brothers.

What a racist comment.

The Usa is very strict about copyrights. Your comment only shows your ignorance

after reading the above several times and finally viewing it sideways and upside down i still cannot figure out why the comment is "racist"

perhaps an explanation from you could help me understand.

[gemini81]

Given the latest revelations from the US they really have an bit of a cheek grading other on anything.

Take the plank from your own eye before you take the splinter from your brothers.

US is hardly a hotbed of copied products compared to here or China. Read the articles details before arrogant troll posts or drooling to imply hypocrite at any opportunity.

Edited December 11, 2014 by gemini81

[Suffinator]

Once again the Thai Gov talking for other countries. When will they learn to just keep quiet until such things actually happen .... makes them look more stupid by the day but I guess that's military rule propaganda for you.

[quandow]

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Speaking for the U.S. Why not just wait and see what they say before making announcements. Thailand shot their mouth off saying they will be upgraded by the U.S on Human rights but instead got downgraded. They said they will get the Tour De France and didn't even rate a mention.

Don't forget, they also cured ebola!