US complaint leads to raid on Patong pirate shops

[webfact]

US complaint leads to raid on Patong pirate shops
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A United States Embassy complaint led to officers seizing more than 4 million baht worth of fake, copyrighted goods in Patong yesterday.

Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) Division 4 stormed 12 shops in the Patong area, rounding up pirated brand name bags, glasses, clothes and shoes. However, shop owners managed to evade arrest.

“We received a complaint from the US Embassy that name brand companies were upset about the number of pirated goods being sold in Patong,” said Lt Col Pratheep Choosri of the Economic Crime Suppression Division 4.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/US-complaint-leads-raid-Patong-pirate-shops/62173?desktopversion#ad-image-0


-- Phuket Gazette 2015-10-19

[Pimay1]

“We received a complaint from the US Embassy that name brand companies were upset about the number of pirated goods being sold in Patong,” said Lt Col Pratheep Choosri of the Economic Crime Suppression Division 4.

Of course Lt. Col Pratheep wasn't concerned about it at all until the complaint was received.

[clockman]

And for warned by the bib.!

[Krataiboy]

My sympathies are with the pirates.

Much of the ridiculously-priced brand name stuff sold in hi-so stores is made in Third World countries, using virtual slave labour, and deserves to be boycotted, not bought.

For decades, Thais and expats living in the Land of Smiles have had access to far more reasonably priced, home-produced alternatives. But not for much longer if the present administration is daft enough to sign up for membership of the TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership).

This US-led phony "free trade" deal will, among other undesirable effects, sink the pirates who make copies of designer jeans, T-shirts, watches etc etc and force Thais to pay through the nose for the expensive stuff churned out by the big designer houses.

The treaty will also ban the import, manufacture and sale of inexpensive generic versions of costly antibiotics and other Big Pharma drugs currently sold across the counter at chemist shops and other outlets across the Kingdom.

Some unexpected good news is that the Governor of the Bank of Thailand is urging caution over joining the TCCP - and presumably not because he will miss being able to buy cheap Che Guevara and Osama Bin Laden T-shirts.. The bad news is that government elder statesmen are enthusiastically talking up the deal in the mass media.

Maybe nobody has told them it will mean no more cheap "Viagra"..

[dageurreotype]

I was recently watching a documentary on the ENORMOUS Chinese industry in fakes. Entire towns/city areas set up for just that. Fake everything right down to eggs and rice, imagine that

Now, why don't the US go after the Chinese? Hmm. Tough one

[Thaidream]

My sentiments are also with the pirates. The poster is correct when he states these so called Hi-So products are made in the Third World using labor that is priced well below the market and then selling these products to the wealthy or whomever will pay the freight keeping gross profits. Where do think the Apple I-Phone is made- China. We all know how much these phones cost in Thailand. Absolutely ridiculous. I also remember in 2006 when the United States Government complained that Thailand had broken a patent on an AIDS drug that was held by a United States Pharmaceutical company. Thailand needed to do it because people were dying and Thais could not afford the drug. There is also a provision in International Trade that makes it legal to do this when lives are at stake.

I also agree with the poster regarding the Trans Pacific Trade agreement being sought by the US. Thailand would be foolish to join this cartel. This is the biggest scam of all time because it will raise the prices of virtually everything in Thailand and send the money to the wealthy business owners who make the products.

The poor will become poorer and the middle class will soon join them. When will the US take the high road instead of selling greed around the World?

Edited October 19, 2015 by Thaidream

[elgordo38]

My sentiments are also with the pirates. The poster is correct when he states these so called Hi-So products are made in the Third World using labor that is priced well below the market and then selling these products to the wealthy or whomever will pay the freight keeping gross profits. Where do think the Apple I-Phone is made- China. We all know how much these phones cost in Thailand. Absolutely ridiculous. I also remember in 2006 when the United States Government complained that Thailand had broken a patent on an AIDS drug that was held by a United States Pharmaceutical company. Thailand needed to do it because people were dying and Thais could not afford the drug. There is also a provision in International Trade that makes it legal to do this when lives are at stake.

I also agree with the poster regarding the Trans Pacific Trade agreement being sought by the US. Thailand would be foolish to join this cartel. This is the biggest scam of all time because it will raise the prices of virtually everything in Thailand and send the money to the wealthy business owners who make the products.

The poor will become poorer and the middle class will soon join them. When will the US take the high road instead of selling greed around the World?

When will the US take the high road never I am afraid. The government has the boot of big business planted squarely on its neck. Who do you think is funding all these GOP gnomes running around attacking women's rights over their bodies? We are all living a lunacy legacy provided by governments of the past and Obama looking for his in the present. NAFTA and now TPP. This is all an ego trip for Obama his so called legacy.

[xtrnuno41]

And what big US companies do?

As they buy the same jeans as any other in china for almost nothing.

You ship it and tag it with a name like jesus, levi's (jeans) and you sell it for way more.

The only fake then in Thailand is the lable.

You buy Chanel, which cost totally with bottle and package $8 and you buy it for way more.

Only in Thailand the lable is fake.

[TimmyT]

for Thailand it would be better to get rid of all copyright laws.

why Thai every man has to pay anything to US corporations? They already got much more than they deserve.

American copyrasts, go home!

Edited October 19, 2015 by TimmyT

[ggt]

However, shop owners managed to evade arrest.

Surprise...wonder how much evading arrest cost them?

[2fishin2]

A bunch of true dum dum posts already.

[dageurreotype]

A bunch of true dum dum posts already.

How so? Or do you have anything of significance to add other than your 'dum dum' (mummy issues? You appear to like dum dums Dummy ), post?

Edited October 19, 2015 by dageurreotype

[dcutman]

I was recently watching a documentary on the ENORMOUS Chinese industry in fakes. Entire towns/city areas set up for just that. Fake everything right down to eggs and rice, imagine that

Now, why don't the US go after the Chinese? Hmm. Tough one

Now, why don't the US go after the Chinese? Hmm.

What makes you think they dont try?

Who exactly who went after whom here? According to the OP it was Thai police raiding Thai shops. Did the Thai police have to raid these shops because the American Embassy made a complaint? Would the Chinese police have to do do the same because of a complaint from a U.S. Embassy in China?

Edited October 19, 2015 by dcutman

[2fishin2]

A bunch of true dum dum posts already.

How so? Or do you have anything of significance to add other than your 'dum dum' (mummy issues? You appear to like dum dums Dummy ), post?

People who think the pirates are correct thats who the dum dums are.

[Bangkok Barry]

for Thailand it would be better to get rid of all copyright laws.

why Thai every man has to pay anything to US corporations? They already got much more than they deserve.

American copyrasts, go home!

This comment has to be from a Thai, surely, judging from the ignorance it demonstrates. Copyright protects the work and research and development that has gone into producing a product. Thais would not know that of course, as Thailand has never in its history invented or developed anything at all.

[NeverSure]

Regardless of whether the owner is rich or poor, I'm shocked that so many on here would condone theft.

If the Chinese began building one of their POS cars and labeling it Toyota I believe everyone would understand why the shit would hit the fan. What's morally different about stealing a name for watches or clothes?

Cheers.

Edited October 19, 2015 by NeverSure

[FarangKino]

Do the clowns on here really believe that the Rolex watch or Prada handbag you can buy at a Patong stall is of equal quality to the real thing. It's only the label that's fake??? Pleeez

Reckon some of them must have bought their intelligence there haha

[FangFerang]

I was recently watching a documentary on the ENORMOUS Chinese industry in fakes. Entire towns/city areas set up for just that. Fake everything right down to eggs and rice, imagine that

Now, why don't the US go after the Chinese? Hmm. Tough one

Now, why don't the US go after the Chinese? Hmm.

What makes you think they dont try?

Who exactly who went after whom here? According to the OP it was Thai police raiding Thai shops. Did the Thai police have to raid these shops because the American Embassy made a complaint? Would the Chinese police have to do do the same because of a complaint from a U.S. Embassy in China?

Stupid post. China was rated among the worst traffickers in human beings, but never got even a warning. Malaysia likewise was recommended for Tier 3, but signed the TPP, and was therefore given no warning at all.

[FangFerang]

Regardless of whether the owner is rich or poor, I'm shocked that so many on here would condone theft.

If the Chinese began building one of their POS cars and labeling it Toyota I believe everyone would understand why the shit would hit the fan. What's morally different about stealing a name for watches or clothes?

Cheers.

Stupid post. When Shminkel the Schmuck raised the price of an anti-malaria drug from 500 baht to 26,000 baht, he decided money was more important than people, knowing fully well some people would die because they cannot afford the medication. A 5000% increase, and all he did was...buy the rights to it, and cheap. Vulture capitalists makes Communists look like John Wayne, your dead hero.

No cheers for right wing nut bags.

[TimmyT]

for Thailand it would be better to get rid of all copyright laws.

why Thai every man has to pay anything to US corporations? They already got much more than they deserve.

American copyrasts, go home!

This comment has to be from a Thai, surely, judging from the ignorance it demonstrates. Copyright protects the work and research and development that has gone into producing a product. Thais would not know that of course, as Thailand has never in its history invented or developed anything at all.

This comment has to be from a farang, surely, judging from an aspiration to insult the opponent instead of refuting his arguments

Copyright protects income of American corporations and american citizen. for sure it's good for the US but it means money loss for Thailand. So why Thailand should have laws which leads to money loss for it's citizen?!

because Uncle Sam told so?

lol