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[Thai at Heart]

How do they prove that anyone KNEW the products were fake?

I'd love to see someone try to take this to court.  It is the producers and sellers that need to be cracked down on, not the users.  

A bit like drugs really.  Oh I forgot we are in Thailand.  Whoops...  off topic.

[badgerbailey]

I'm sure I read a thread a few weeks ago that they were trying to change the law so that they could prosecute people for using illegal software, but Abhisit hadn't allowed it because he said that sometimes people may buy the computers not knowing that it had illegal software pre-installed. Infact, after a quick search:


http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cabinet-Reje...ma-t304448.html

So how does this fit in relation to what they are doing in Phuket?

[RickBradford]

"Buying" pirated is software is so dumb when there's masses of free and legal open-source alternatives out there available for download.

Unless your needs are extremely specific, stuff like Open Office, Gimp, Audacity, Avira  will keep your business running quite happily. Plus, you never know what other cr*p is lurking on those 99Bt CDs....

[Thai at Heart]

badgerbailey, on 2009-11-05 14:46:07, said:

I'm sure I read a thread a few weeks ago that they were trying to change the law so that they could prosecute people for using illegal software, but Abhisit hadn't allowed it because he said that sometimes people may buy the computers not knowing that it had illegal software pre-installed. Infact, after a quick search:


<a href="http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cabinet-Rejects-Copyrights-Tradema-t304448.html" target="_blank">http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cabinet-Reje...ma-t304448.html</a>

So how does this fit in relation to what they are doing in Phuket?

Seems the laws got changed anyway without Abhisit noticing.  

Good to see that mice have been playing while the cat's been away. If the law got passed how come not a single one of the papers even bothered to mention it?  

Once again in typical Thai fashion they are after the wrong guy.  Cue a furious backdown by the cops if anyone in the cabinet gives a dam_n when this story gets bigger.

Edited by Thai at Heart, 2009-11-05 21:51:35.

[Hugh Jarse]

mythBuster, on 2009-11-05 20:53:10, said:

Here another tip: Check the computers from the policemen involved in the crackdown too, the tip is not even anonymous (only losers do so). But if you are using software that is stolen, why pay the middleman? Either pay the developer or pay nothing get it from a torrent site.

Or simply download Open Office software , which is compatible with MS Office'stuff and it is free. More tha adequate for most PC's and businesses  www.openoffice.com

[TerraPosse]

I tried to convince my Thai partners a month ago to go Open Source when I was re-formatting the HD's but they didn't want to change.  Just showed them this piece and voila, Ubuntu we'll have lift off.  Thanks to BiB, I'll get my way and convert all hardware in the office to Open Source next week.

As for sensitive business data being kept hostage or being sold to the competition...well, encrypt all important business data and keep copies on an external file server (I use DropBox for this, which part of 'My Documents'and keeps it all updated whereever I log in from).  This way they can take your hardware but you can get to your data from anywhere, anytime.  Then you can sit out there outrageous demands and see who blinks first.

Just my 2 satang.

[Superkatsu]

the Police have to check they own Pc's first.

[dude007]

cmiuc, on 2009-11-05 19:44:33, said:

The Police prostitution rings, the Police drug money rings, the Immigration Shake downs have all bottom out... so time for a new Police Scheme...

I heard that the next crackdown will be on "fake prostitutes", usually imported from the eastblock countries and africa...  Although they are working perfectly they are illegal and Thais are not allowed to work with.  They even don't need a special key to open... but remarkably they are much more expensive than the genuine ones!

The experts from the crackdown department will test them all themselves in their offices after having removed them from their working places.         

[opalhort]

In Jan '09 we received a letter by regular mail from the BSA. It was a questionnaire but apart from a cover letter it was all in Thai so I ignored it.

In May we got the same thing again form them by registered mail and again I ignored it because not even my wife or son could translate all the questions required to be answered.

Last week Monday a lady from BSA called and asked why we did not respond. My wife explained that we can only fill in the questionnaire if they have it in English and gave her our gmail e-mail address to send it to us. As of yet no word from them.

We have no problems as far as our two business PCs are concerned, they are clean. My only worry is that they may take the PCs away for inspection and then I'm stuck during that time.

opalhort

[crocodilexp]

foxxx, on 2009-11-05 05:05:58, said:

what a joke.

bust the companies paying taxes and employing tax paying staff, and let all the other filth slide.

What a joke. Why pursue a thief while you're letting other things slide? Just let him make away with the loot, he'll use it to feed his family and pay sales tax eventually.

Honestly, individual piracy is somewhat excusable, but when an investment company does it... not much sympathy. They're making their money by operating within a regulated environment, so they should respect laws as well.

[crocodilexp]

jkolak, on 2009-11-05 05:51:42, said:

You often buy new computers with preloaded software. So if a customer buys a computer, how are they supposed to know that it was illegally installed and not an OEM licensed agreement to preload the software? What do you tell the police if they challenge it and it came preloaded on your computer?

It's VERY easy to tell -- look at the sticker on the bottom of the laptop or somewhere on the box, I've never seen one missing. Alternately, ask the vendor for their OEM licenses.

The amount of possible doubt is about the same as when I buy a branded shirt from Chatuchak for 150 baht and then say "how am I supposed to tell it's not real Lacoste?"

[England01]

george, on 2009-11-05 18:19:26, said:

Software police target Phuket businesses

Phuket Gazette IT Manager Seubsak ('Big') Sahaworaphan.

PHUKET: -- As part of a nationwide investigation, Phuket businesses are being investigated closely by police for using illegal computer software.

A Gazette source said a 'high profile' property investment firm was raided earlier this week.

Police are said to have seized hardware and software, all allegedly unlicensed. The company was given a million baht fine, the source said.

Following news of the raid, a number of Phuket businesses reportedly closed for the day.

Colonel Sarayuth Pooltanya, deputy commander of the Royal Thai Police Economic and Cyber Crimes Division (ECD), said late last month that "all businesses will have to ensure that they are compliant with the Thai Copyright Act."

"Major efforts" to target companies using pirated software began on October 26, he said.

A list of 1,000 suspect companies nationwide compiled by the ECD has been based on tips, some anonymous. These are typically from sources within the target companies.

Leads are also being shared by the Business Software Alliance, which runs a toll-free hotline and website for informants to report on the use of pirated and unlicensed business software.

In recent months, the ECD has stepped up enforcement of intellectual property rights in respect of software.

August marked one of the ECD's most successful months, with 15 substantial raids netting 54.5 million baht's worth of allegedly non-copyright software.

The raided companies came from a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, real estate, automobiles, shipping, design and engineering.

Phuket Gazette IT Manager Seubsak Sahaworaphan said businesses should perform regular checks to make sure employees are not downloading illegal software.

"We use a software checking device called System Hound which is installed in all our computers and has a centralized network control point," he said.

"The system performs regular checks on all of our computers and makes sure all licenses are up to date," he said.

It was not reported if or when the probe would be expanded to include computer companies that load up hard drives with illegal software when selling new machines to customers.


-- Phuket Gazette & The Nation 2009-11-05

_______________________________________________________
-->> Get the Nation/Thaivisa news faster via SMS:
-->> 14 days free trial, dial *424010011 on your mobile

[England01]

they have been doing the same in Samui the last two weeks. Several companys closed the doors to stop them walking in !!..

Any one know a shop in thailand that sells licenced products..?

haha

[taxin]

Anyone know the name of the company in Phuket that was busted ?

[vzk]

malcolmswaine, on 2009-11-05 19:52:53, said:

Topic aside, that's one bad-ass ER diagram in the headline picture  

It's actually the MS Access Database Scheme - sorta an ERD for beginners :-)
And by the looks of it, it's quite serious - maybe the folks should cossgrade to SQLServer (or Oracle, or PostgreSQL:-).
Surely, if this baby is still running on MSAccess, they will run into problems if more than 5 users are working on it concurrently.

[hawker9000]

thetravellingcat, on 2009-11-05 05:43:16, said:

all part of the western world promising to help Thailand modernize providing it takes active steps to stamp out unlicensed software. make the most of Thailand while you can. the western world won't be happy until all nations are harmonized into one huge generic blob.

Gee - isn't it funny how when Geo Bush didn't want to wait for the rest of the world to join him in his crusade to put down Saddam Hussein, it was all about global harmony (and his insensitivity to it).  And the world order certainly celebrated his successor's election. What a wonderful thing the "global community" was then, eh? But now we're aghast at this crackdown on illegal software because it evidences that same world order reaching its tentacles into our favorite vacation spot.

Oh, I know.  "That's different!"

[mbkudu]

Marvo, on 2009-11-05 19:34:08, said:

george, on 2009-11-05 18:19:26, said:

As part of a nationwide investigation, Phuket businesses are being investigated closely by police for using illegal computer software.

But the outfits in Pantip SELLING all that illegal software will be allowed to continue to do so, - keeping the supply going so to speak.

The police 'run' the business at Phantip. What will they do, crack themselves down?

[andyww]

mrtoad, on 2009-11-05 12:22:16, said:

If they are not having a crackdown, they are normally creating a hub.

Not necessarily. They could have been moved to an inactive post...

Edited by andyww, 2009-11-05 23:32:17.

[phil2]

RKASA, on 2009-11-05 20:04:38, said:

You can use illegal for free or free and completely legal they cost the same, but the later comes with less trouble.  

Now would be a good time to start thinking outside of the box.

Open source,  Open mind.  No police.  

Linux or BSD is the answer

[phil2]

farangpattaya, on 2009-11-05 20:15:06, said:

phazey, on 2009-11-05 19:38:43, said:

It seems that the freeware "OPEN OFFICE" from Linux is extremely popular nowadays; because it is freeware, there is no license needed, but if it safe (spyware, hackerwise)? I don't know.

One million percent safe.

[phil2]

thaibkk, on 2009-11-05 20:40:50, said:

funny to see in the department stores when selling a new computer / laptop .... FREE OS they always put on it... meaning linux, but who uses that as an end-user

I do for the last 3 yrs, and I don't have any regrets. You should try to find out how and why Linux was developed.

[Eureka]

jkolak, on 2009-11-05 19:51:42, said:

phazey, on 2009-11-05 04:38:43, said:

I'd have to agree. Buy a PC in pantip etc etc, you'll get it pre-installed with windows, office, photoshop etc.

Why have a go at the guys who don't know the details like this - A PC is supposed to come with Windows XP right? They all do?

......

Stop the duplication plants, give amnesty's with a good window - not a quick earner.

./P

You often buy new computers with preloaded software. So if a customer buys a computer, how are they supposed to know that it was illegally installed and not an OEM licensed agreement to preload the software? What do you tell the police if they challenge it and it came preloaded on your computer?

If you buy a television, washing machine or DVD player it comes with documentation so does the LEGAL software including OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) versions.  As with all warranties resonable notice must be given as to the terms and conditions.  If a consumer fails to RTFM (read the f***ing manual) it is by their own choice.
Although I disagree with the high price of most software I do not take the view that all people are so stupid that they do not realize that a computer selling for 10,000TBT would also include an additional 60,000TBT of software.

[phil2]

twix38, on 2009-11-05 21:32:37, said:

If they can't close down actual business' in a shop, set up to sell pirate software how do they expect to ever be taken seriously or sincerely with these crackdowns!!

Toxin said closing them down would result to an increase in crime.

[phil2]

opalhort, on 2009-11-05 22:13:56, said:

In Jan '09 we received a letter by regular mail from the BSA. It was a questionnaire but apart from a cover letter it was all in Thai so I ignored it.

In May we got the same thing again form them by registered mail and again I ignored it because not even my wife or son could translate all the questions required to be answered.

Last week Monday a lady from BSA called and asked why we did not respond. My wife explained that we can only fill in the questionnaire if they have it in English and gave her our gmail e-mail address to send it to us. As of yet no word from them.

We have no problems as far as our two business PCs are concerned, they are clean. My only worry is that they may take the PCs away for inspection and then I'm stuck during that time.

opalhort

Simply install Linux, and when they call. turn on the PCs for them to see that you don't run bill gates on your machines.

[kudroz]

I personally think this is a great initiative. It is sure to incentivize companies to go for open source alternatives instead of pirated software. But if they are seizing computers to run their check - it's a serious problem. While the initiative has merit, the execution falls short. I'm not sure exactly how they're executing these checks, but one would hope they are not seizing the computers for days/weeks?!? I welcome them to come to our office but if they take our computers for a few days it will have a serious effect on productivity as we're an IT company and rely on our computers to do 100% of the work.

Any ideas how long they seize the computers for?