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DSI seizes over 20,000 pirated goods


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DSI seizes over 20,000 pirated goods

BANGKOK, 26 September 2015 (NNT) – The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has seized over 20,000 pieces of pirated goods from commercial buildings and warehouses in Bangkok.

During the raid, DSI authorities arrested one of the warehouse owners, Surat Chamraswimolrat, and a salesperson, Supaporn Tangsathapornpan, for possessing pirated goods for sale. Over 10,000 pieces of illegal items, mostly electronic gadgets worth over 10 million baht were confiscated.

Accompanied by a Thai Samsung Electronics lawyer, the damaged party, the company’s representative Ratachadawan Keela, advised the public to closely examine the materials before deciding to buy any product. She added that the best way to buy a genuine and quality product was to visit exclusive agents' stores

According to DSI chief Suwanna Suwanjuta, the agency would step up its crackdown on piracy to improve the country’s image in the global arena.

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...advised the public to closely examine the materials before deciding to buy any product. She added that the best way to buy a genuine and quality product was to visit exclusive agents' stores

Yes. Only buy from the authorised dealer. Especially, mobile phones and laptops.

A shop(stall) in MBK Centre, Bangkok tried to sell me a fake Smartphone as original. I asked the shop (stall) owner where the phone was made, she quickly backtracked and said it was fake.

An MBK shop(stall), however, did manage to sell me a grey-import. The smartphone lasted 6 months. Took it to the service centre. They said the serial number label on phone did not match software serial number. Therefore cannot offer repair as part of a warranty. They said the phone had an issue with the system-board and it needs to be replaced.

Only buy things like phone cases from these stalls, not actual electronic items. Actually, a Smartphone will not be that much cheaper at these stalls. (Not as much as 50% anyway, I would say 1000 Bhat price difference between authorised dealer and MBK stall). When buying from authorised dealer, just make sure that the phone works with your foreign sim and that they can sell you the phone on pre-pay if that's what you are after.

Remember in Thailand, its Caveat Emptor. i.e. Buyer beware.

If you visit MBK, stalls/shops will often lure you in to a purchase by opening the box in front of you. Once opened they will say you need to purchase it or pay 500-1000 bhat. They can be aggressive and threatening.

edit: At the stall, If you handed your SIM card to be tested with the new phone, you will have little choice but to pay the 500-1000 bhat surcharge or buy the phone, otherwise say bye-bye to your SIM card. MBK has various signs on the 4th floor with a phone number saying call this number to report illegal activity. Do not rely on this, they will take NO ACTION. The number goes through to MBK Management who are only interested in maximising rents.

Edited by meltingpot2015
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...advised the public to closely examine the materials before deciding to buy any product. She added that the best way to buy a genuine and quality product was to visit exclusive agents' stores

Yes. Only buy from the authorised dealer. Especially, mobile phones and laptops.

A shop(stall) in MBK Centre, Bangkok tried to sell me a fake Smartphone as original. I asked the shop (stall) owner where the phone was made, she quickly backtracked and said it was fake.

An MBK shop(stall), however, did manage to sell me a grey-import. The smartphone lasted 6 months. Took it to the service centre. They said the serial number label on phone did not match software serial number. Therefore cannot offer repair as part of a warranty. They said the phone had an issue with the system-board and it needs to be replaced.

Only buy things like phone cases from these stalls, not actual electronic items. Actually, a Smartphone will not be that much cheaper at these stalls. (Not as much as 50% anyway, I would say 1000 Bhat price difference between authorised dealer and MBK stall). When buying from authorised dealer, just make sure that the phone works with your foreign sim and that they can sell you the phone on pre-pay if that's what you are after.

Remember in Thailand, its Caveat Emptor. i.e. Buyer beware.

If you visit MBK, stalls/shops will often lure you in to a purchase by opening the box in front of you. Once opened they will say you need to purchase it or pay 500-1000 bhat. They can be aggressive and threatening.

edit: At the stall, If you handed your SIM card to be tested with the new phone, you will have little choice but to pay the 500-1000 bhat surcharge or buy the phone, otherwise say bye-bye to your SIM card. MBK has various signs on the 4th floor with a phone number saying call this number to report illegal activity. Do not rely on this, they will take NO ACTION. The number goes through to MBK Management who are only interested in maximising rents.

I was briefly at MBK today on an errand, the first time in many years. My search took me through the fourth floor phone stands area. It was never a particularly pleasant place to shop, but it has become downright aggressive and even threatening now. My guess is that this is a function of a rapidly maturing market - the big killings in smartphones have been made in the last five years, the small fry traders are left with a diminishing customer base, falling prices and a vast oversupply of rapidly dating cr*p, genuine or fake.

Interestingly, Thai stallholders seem to be much thinner on the ground these days. Overheard languages and faces behind counters suggest that the subcontinent is supplying much of the labour now. Can this be legal? Can the necessary payoffs be met in changing times? Unless the next 'big thing' comes along pretty soon, 4th floor MBK may soon be toast.

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as far as I have realized now.

most MBK (and IT city) phones are going to be REFURBISHED from scratched or damaged or just normal 2nd hand phones.

when a phone is refurbished, the unauthorized repair shop can often change colour of phone case (depending on what stock is available to them).
they will erase the phone and put a new Android, (often the latest one).
and they even can easily Change the EMEI and Seial Number on the phone Software (in case it was a stolen phone).

so, even if you google the IMEI number in a tracker, it is most likely a bogus number.

or at the very least, may have a mistmatch in phone colour or something.

if only Power Buy and other shops would MARK DOWN PRICES of old phones models !!!

instead they just keep the phone at the SAME PRICE for eternity!!

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quite a few of the stalls in mbk will sell you genuine new phones maybe 2000bt cheaper than branded stores such as powerbuy etc, although powerbuy can be knocked down & you can see cash prices normally scribbled in pencil on base of product signs that used for staff reference. problem is you need be on the ball- know your product & stay in charge of the sale to make the most of MBK, they do employ a lot of illegal burmese in MBK mainly as they far better at sales due to good language skills & customer handling plus cheap/reliable staff. Still easier to buy at home and many times cheaper too. Prefer Fortune IT centre to MBK myself as many of the shops been long running plus they not crippled by MBK's ultra high retail renting cost & police/dsi tea money . I had a Thai friend who bought a iPhone 4s in MBK, paid good money as being thai wanted a thai phone not grey import, I looked at phone model code when helped with phone update & found it to be grey import which would of been good 3000Bt cheaper :) they rip Thais off more than foreigners lol .

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quite a few of the stalls in mbk will sell you genuine new phones maybe 2000bt cheaper than branded stores such as powerbuy etc, although powerbuy can be knocked down & you can see cash prices normally scribbled in pencil on base of product signs that used for staff reference. problem is you need be on the ball- know your product & stay in charge of the sale to make the most of MBK, they do employ a lot of illegal burmese in MBK mainly as they far better at sales due to good language skills & customer handling plus cheap/reliable staff. Still easier to buy at home and many times cheaper too. Prefer Fortune IT centre to MBK myself as many of the shops been long running plus they not crippled by MBK's ultra high retail renting cost & police/dsi tea money . I had a Thai friend who bought a iPhone 4s in MBK, paid good money as being thai wanted a thai phone not grey import, I looked at phone model code when helped with phone update & found it to be grey import which would of been good 3000Bt cheaper smile.png they rip Thais off more than foreigners lol .

Only discovered fortune city recently, but havent looked back since. The shopping experience at Fortune City is much more pleasant than MBK. It's calmer, less chaotic and the sales staff are in a another league. (much more friendly and helpful). For some reason, every Thai person and Tourist flock to MBK. I doubt its the location, because Fortune City is just as well located.
Yes, I've shopped at Powerbuy before and they are excellent. They are usually found in all the Central Shopping malls and stock just about everything. Staff are very knowledgeable and gives good advise. They have sales sometimes with items marked down. (I haven't seen them mark down phones. but Printers, yes. especially when a newer model comes in to the market, they put the older model on sale). Special Discounts available for store display items.
Best of all, all items guaranteed, with the Manufacturer Warranty. Unless, someone is in need of a "temporary" phone (while on holiday) that they expect to last 3-6 months, its just not worth buying from a stall. Still, it does not make sense, because you could probably buy a brand new older model from Tesco or Big C with a warranty for the same price you pay at stall.
By the way, I wonder what Powerbuy do with phones that they don't manage to sell.
Edited by meltingpot2015
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^ I lived right by fortune IT, used a long time running non franchised store there to buy notebooks for company I worked with. very professional, good prices & tested/checked each product plus registered the warranty online in shop. No hassle & no bu11sh1t, got free bags for each notebook & cleaning kit, good if not better service than western store. Also have good prices on hdd ssd etc from jet computers plus if do get a bad one they will swap it no hassle if you go back quickly.

MBK & Pantip are highly overrated and have more potential problems than they do genuine good retail experience ...

Edited by BuckBee
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i bought a fake samsung battery at MegaBangna (one of the stalls in the mall). it looked just like the new ones...perfect copy...but wouldnt hokd a charge very long...returned itvand STERNLY BUT POLITELY asked for money back...got it

beware if Mega shops!!!!!!

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