Just a friendly warning if your business has illegal softwares, the software police are up from Bangkok (from 26th til sometime after Loy Krathong) and they are raiding schools, computer shops, design shops, and basically tons of companies who they suspect are using illegal softwares. Most vulnerable companies have simply closed down - it is rumoured that one school has been fined 5 million - but at this point all we know is that they are in town, there has been no confirmed details of fines yet.

While I support IP, I also know that the majority of Thai companies can not possibly afford to use 100% legal softwares. My belief is that they should be priced according to what the market can afford, otherwise we are going to end up with pirated goods and raids in an ever-evolving vicious cycle. I also believe that these software providers need to engage such businesses and work on a feasible plan to purchse software, ackowledging the fact that there may be some pirated softwares used too. (I know one company that has apparently successfully negotiated with Adobe to buy two applications per year even though their company uses 8 illegal ones. Adobe Singapore was apparently satisfied with this.) Anyway, thought some people may find this helpful.

That just about sums it up. Thai companies and more so the man in the street or students cannot simply shell out over $1000 for the latest version of Adobe Photoshop.
I'm still running 5.5 because of that. Apart from that it's nigh on impossible to buy licenced software anywhere in Thailand.
If you stopped all the unlicenced users of Windows in Thailand, net access would be a joy

I agree with market pricing but I cannot agree in any way with the use of pirated materials. This country has a penchant for extra legal activities that have given it a poor reputation globally. This is hampering the future development of this country as an IT competent centre. Until this changes we will continue to suffer from a truly inferior level of service from all parts of the technological industrial complex. This will condemn Thailand to remaining a back-water in world terms.

is anyone going to organize a raid on the computers used by the raiders while they are out raiding? that should be fun

I hope that they have plenty of time available to carry out this task Pim because they are gonna need it.

They should first conserve their energy and time and visit the various IT outlets around the city and remove all non licenced software. This would be a simple task as it would be difficult to find any (or very much) licensed software any where in the realm.

Using Singapore as a comparison you would have difficulty in finding any bodgy copies on sale in either Funan Centre or Simlin Square.

I rarely (if ever) question your comments but why is it that Singaporean companies and people can afford legal software and in Thailand they cannot.

And, additionally it might be something of a quid pro quo if Thailand had ever contributed to anything other than unlicensed software.

I mean India can do it (compete in IT technology) so does this mean that Indians are so far advanced in their mental capabilities and Thai's are not. (actually if someone was to suggest that there would be no arguments from me)

But seriously in the western world people use licensed software and they pay western salaries.

In Thailand they pay a pittance in comparison (as salaries) yet want Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to do all the research and not be recompensed for doing such R & D

If you go into any Chi Chang outlets and you buy a new computer they will tell you it is going to be un-licensed software. OK if you buy a laptop it will probably be loaded with Vista.

And at the end of the day these ??? software police will blow into town and spend a bit of time going through the motions (similar to the ones they do when the sit in the the bathrooms) and go back to the 'big mango' and it will be business as usual.

This post has been edited by john b good: 2009-10-29 16:12:36

Software Police?

"basically tons of companies"

"it is RUMORED that..."

Just a friendly warning?

Who are you to be warning anyone, that sounds like you are threatening everyone with your friendly little warning?

I think what any company does in Bangkok is none of your business, is it? Certainly they don't need you to warn them do they.

Your post has no facts at all. By repeating RUMORs you contribute to the problem, not the solution.

When you say basically tons of companies I say bullocks to that and to your story.

After being here for years and years, I have heard the same story 1,000 times.

The same story that all the pirated software malls and stores will be shut down.

A week later the story blows over and 10 years later all the same places selling software are still in business.

It is funny all the software malls always know exactly when the cops will be showing up well ahead of time don't they and then are never shut down.

Maybe some street vendor gets shaken down to appease the news and media that the authorities are doing something yet Panthip Plaza marches on getting bigger and bigger each year.

Posts like this are like chicken little crying the sky is falling

Repeating rumors with no facts is pretty piss poor judgment on your part

PS

It is rumored aliens have landed in Bangkok, there might be 5,000,000 or more but NO CONFIRMED DETAILS YET

This post has been edited by Nio: 2009-10-29 16:23:21

Three years ago I bought a fairly expensive ASUS laptop in Chiang Mai. It was top of the line at that time. Like most computers it had WINDOWS XP already installed on it. When I got it home and my daughter tried to register it she found it was a pirated copy of Windows.

I brought home some lovely "software". They weighed about 45 kilograms each.

That's a bit harsh isn't ???
I would think it would be wise the heed the op's remarks, especially given that BSA ( Business Software Alliance ) have recently advertised their intentions in the BKK post.

It's a good idea to take seriously well intentioned advice from well informed people, but that is a bit harder than denigration............

philw

My oh my. What a rude little person you are

Tsss.. I agree with MM on something. Honestly I can vouch for Sao Chiang Mai. I also work in this industry myself, and while the CHANCE of a company being raided is small, if it does happen it will have VERY serious consequences, no matter how legit a company it is; it's VERY hard to prevent employees to load a copy of Adobe XYZwhatever if they feel they want it. Then they hit you for millions of baht.

Ouch! OK, I wasnt posting as a journo, but privately, but if you want confirmation, then yes, it is confirmed. I cant ge bothered (because I don't know the English name), but if you find the relevant government department web site you will find the official notice...I have a fax. Nothing rumoured about it at all, it is fact. At least half a dozen CM companies raided today (and no, I am not going to name names). They are here from 26th til after Loy Krathong.
Like it or not, the fines are crippling - millions of baht for an SME. Good luck all.

Around a month and already a know it all......We all can chalk up your future posts as just another rude, arrogant, newby smart azz

Learn some manners and get a little time beneath you before shooting off your mouth so rudely, jerk. Know the people you think you should flame and what othere more seasoned think about them...... You opened your mouth about someone that you know nothing about....... and is considered pretty special to most of us.

This post has been edited by Gonzo the Face: 2009-10-29 17:38:36

..and someone that runs a magazine and is a journalist and thus in a position to know. May have helped your cause if you just asked 'how do you know?' and you would have been told. Never mind, we all live and learn.

As for the software vendors, they never keep the software on-site (actually I know one that does, but only one!). Any raid turns up a lot of photocopies of CD jackets - perhaps a copyright infringement there too, but how much pain would it be to have a shop full of paper copies confiscated. They limit what is brought out if you order - maybe ten DVDs max at a time - so if it is a sting, then it is only ten copies, not a shop load. In the past they have been shut down, but its like emptying an ocean with a tea cup!

Most of the PC's for sale are labeled as DOS or Linux. So, again raids give nothing. The techies in the shop will load the fake OS for you after purchase from a copy of a footprint. If its lost, then they just dupe the footprint again. Machines are not illegal until you pick them up.

It is users that are easier to hit - soft targets - and its them that they go after - shops and kiosks and small businesses.

As to pricing, the drugs industry (I mean like Glaxo, not some Colombian cartel) proved that by having low prices for drugs in poor countries makes money. It works like this: In the rich countries drugs are sold at full price. In the 3rd world, most notably Africa and Asia, drugs are sold at a little above cost price. This gives a very large market with a small margin and a smaller market with a big margin. Without it, then Africa and most of Asia simply doesn't buy at all - or buys copies. That is both lost opportunity and lost revenue.

There is no reason why M$ could not sell Thai language copies (i.e. with menus in Thai etc - and locked that way) for a small price - small margin across a large playing field = healthy profit. Chasing piraters is like chasing drug dealers, its ineffective and expensive and does nothing to put money in tills. Same goes for Adobe, Autodesk, Apple and every other non-game retailers - incidentally, legit PC games are usually cheaper in Thai version than in the west, so it looks like the games industry has got the message - but until the culture is killed off (or reduced almost nothing) then the mindset will not change - people will buy copies and shops will not stock legit copies as they don't sell.

This post has been edited by wolf5370: 2009-10-29 18:06:45

If they were even a quarter serious about making a dent in the pirate industry. They would at least stop the shops that operate in big legit shopping centres, I mean when you go to Tesco or Airport plaza, start putting pressure on the owners of these big places to stop providing a place for businesses that solely exist to sell pirated software/dvds. But I assume that the people that own those big places are big enough to provide the appriate tea money to continue operating as normal (or the laws provide them protection.)

Also they should at least target big places that are trying to be legit, eg B2B? (The big book shop in robinson at airport) and stop them selling a mixture of legit and pirated software.

As for the pricing, I agree the software companies should start providing local pricing. But in the meantime if you can't afford the prices listed. There is alot of quality free software to use.

eg If you like photoshop, gimp is a pretty much exactly the same but free.

Don't shoot the messenger 'nio'

I see you don't have many posts and I would suggest that is because you have SFA to say

Maybe you should change your name to "chok wow"

This post has been edited by john b good: 2009-10-29 19:39:22

We recenty tried to purchase a couple of computers with legal copies of XP and office. Most shop staff looked at us like we were from the planet Zog.

Tired several places in Ikon square without much luck, despite getting shunted around from shop to shop, then tried IT city in Kad Suan Kaew, yes we could buy XP, but it seemed to be a major hassle and, "oh sorry, we only have one copy in stock right now"........

I was in Pantip Plaza today saw the usual assortment of pirated software. You might put this with the music police.

I believe that unofficially M$ and the likes originally welcomed pirate software as it increased the awarenss of their products.
If it was not for the pirates, Open source and shareware would be much better represented in this part of the world.
In addition the old story about lost revenue is usually vastly overstated as many users would turn to alternatives or do without rather than pay the inflated price.
Recently I tried to source a legit version of M$ Office 2003 as I saw no benefit in the "additional features" of the newer versions. I was surprised to see it was easily available at $5.00 less than the latest version. That must say someting about the value M$ puts on the latest features. The only reason for me to upgrade wouldbe for the support of the newer file formats.
All the software I use through choice is 100% legit, but I draw the line at paying for software that I am forced to use due to the manufacturers monopolistic practices.

Because Singapore has the 6th highest GDP per capita in the world.

Yep, exactly.

I say screw Windows and download Linux (Ubuntu, or Edubuntu for kids)... all free and comes with Word, Excel equivalents that can be opened/edited on either OS. Also minimal, if any, viruses/spyware. I will be making the switch soon.

Shut up and listen to what you are being told by someone who knows and cares for the people in Chiang Mai.

I've noticed several places that seem to have taken a holiday and one where they'll only let you in the building if you call from outside.

99% of all Software at Thai government schools are not legal, in other words pirated. The schools do not have enough money for clean quality toilets. So adobe products are out of the question. Adobe should provide free copies to the Thai government schools that teach the students how to use their software. Thai schools are teaching future workers and users of Microsoft, adobe and many other products. These companies should at least provide free copies to the schools to aid the purpose of education of the future work force.

Why should anyone give free software to schools in Thailand. The money is there so what's the problem.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

As for toilets not being properly cleaned they might educate the users to be a bit cleaner in their habits.

How many Thai's do you see "children included" who wash their hands after using the toilet. That's right a minority. And if parents do not educate their children to do so who should.

Personal hygiene is not high on the agenda here

To indoctrinate the children to their products at an early age! Get em hooked on it at an early age and there is the potential for future home and work place sells.. Just like the old drug dealer motto "The first hit is free!".


-Mestizo