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[webfact]

Deputy PM Orders Crackdown on Copyright Violations

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat Na Ranong, who is also the commerce minister, has ordered related government agencies to crack down on intellectual property rights violations. He is also planning to introduce a law that will criminalize recording movies in theaters.

Director General of Department of Intellectual Property, Patchima Thanasanti reported that Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat Na Ranong, who is also the commerce minister, has reappointed national intellectual property sub-committees.

At the same time, he formed a committee that has been tasked with preparing for the World Intellectual Property Organization Intergovernmental Committee Meeting from February 14 to 22 in Geneva, Switzerland, where the issue of genetic resources is expected to be deliberated.

Kittrat also set up special bodies to oversee the protection of bio-resources and Thai culture. Patchima added that in recent years, many aspects of Thai culture such as some foods and art forms have been exploited by foreigners for commercial purposes. As a result, a committee dedicated to looking into the issue has been appointed.

Moreover, the deputy prime minister has ordered the Department of Intellectual Property to introduce a law aimed at preventing and suppressing the unauthorized recording of movies in theaters and the distribution of pirated DVDs. The draft bill is currently being finalized and later will be submitted to the Office of the Council of State for its review.


-- Tan Network 2012-02-08

[Soutpeel]

Oh no..the only region hub Thailand has actually suceeded in becoming is being crack-down upon.....going to loose all those quality tourist's now

[Rionoir]

Foreigners are trying to make money off of Thai food and culture, we need a committee to form a mafia to stop this nonsense!  Oh, and maybe we'll look into the DVD piracy thing if we have time... lol

I'm sorry but seriously... what in the world are they thinking they are going to do about foreigners making money off of thai food and culture?  Wonder if that'll go both ways - no more Christmas music in the malls in December... get your own culture, buddy!

[LuckyLew]

There is a simpler way to get this idea started
Why not go after the factories that produce fake / copied goods?
Would be simple to find out which factories are manufaturing these items.

[Reasonableman]

Kittrat also set up special bodies to oversee the protection of bio-resources and Thai culture. Patchima added that in recent years, many aspects of Thai culture such as some foods and art forms have been exploited by foreigners for commercial purposes. As a result, a committee dedicated to looking into the issue has been appointed.

I think the focus here is on protecting Thailand's rights, not so much the rights of others violated within Thailand. The cloning/growing of Thai varieties of jasmine rice seems to an area of major concern. The difficulties of controlling such things seem immense, since GMO products are everywhere now, and they were never officially sanctioned in advance.

Edited by Reasonableman, 2012-02-08 17:34:52.

[Reasonableman]

LuckyLew, on 2012-02-08 17:27:07, said:

There is a simpler way to get this idea started
Why not go after the factories that produce fake / copied goods?
Would be simple to find out which factories are manufaturing these items.

A lot of these places are back-yard setups, not factories as such. Not easy.

[Moruya]

I'm going to patent "Green Curry of Brussells Sprouts with Fries cooked in Goose Grease"

He'll have to be quick.

[ballpoint]

No doubt the PM's fake Burberry boots will come in for some inspection.  Or maybe not.

[huahinjoe]

Deputy PM Orders Crackdown on Copyright Violations, so the first place to go is the Pantip Plaza?

Hub of crackdowns, Clean up Thailand? What happened?

[Pib]

A lot of orders, committees, bodies, etc....yawn.

[bigbamboo]

Reasonableman, on 2012-02-08 17:31:04, said:

Kittrat also set up special bodies to oversee the protection of bio-resources and Thai culture. Patchima added that in recent years, many aspects of Thai culture such as some foods and art forms have been exploited by foreigners for commercial purposes. As a result, a committee dedicated to looking into the issue has been appointed.

I think the focus here is on protecting Thailand's rights, not so much the rights of others violated within Thailand. The cloning/growing of Thai varieties of jasmine rice seems to an area of major concern. The difficulties of controlling such things seem immense, since GMO products are everywhere now, and they were never officially sanctioned in advance.

Thai art forms? Well there are certainly plenty of them! Not sure jasmine rice can be protected as long as doesn't say 'Thai' in front of it.

Edited by bigbamboo, 2012-02-08 18:26:30.

[wintermute]

This is my favorite time of the year. The annual "we'll get tough with piracy or face trade sanctions" dance. You'll see cops walking through Pantip looking around with Thai news cameras following them pretending to bust vendors. They may actually arrest a few (who get released) for tea money. Then a day later everything is back, same same.

[Gone]

Reasonableman, on 2012-02-08 17:36:13, said:

LuckyLew, on 2012-02-08 17:27:07, said:

There is a simpler way to get this idea started
Why not go after the factories that produce fake / copied goods?
Would be simple to find out which factories are manufaturing these items.

A lot of these places are back-yard setups, not factories as such. Not easy.

True. When you go into any shopping mall, Panthip, tukcom etc. you want a copy the kid simply runs down the floor to the guy who has a burner and that's it.

The copy watches, shoes etc ate mostly imported from China.

[ozzieman05]

Better put out a squad to find all those Issan girls that have moved over seas and are making Issan Salads

What about Thai Resteraunts they have stolen the art of making Thai Food

And every Thai temple I have gone to in Australia, sell in the open pirate cds and dvds of Channel 3 soap operas

Apply now for the New Thai hit squads to be set up all over the western world

[nong38]

You mean like "la coste" and "crocodile " brands they are not the same are they.? Crocodile is a Thai brand for sure.

[nong38]

ozzieman05, on 2012-02-08 19:19:15, said:

Better put out a squad to find all those Issan girls that have moved over seas and are making Issan Salads

What about Thai Resteraunts they have stolen the art of making Thai Food

And every Thai temple I have gone to in Australia, sell in the open pirate cds and dvds of Channel 3 soap operas

Apply now for the New Thai hit squads to be set up all over the western world

Pantomine only all the year round!

[Bagwan]

These crackdowns crack me up.

Why buy a pirated DVD? Download from the Net and burn your own DVD. Government Minister talking through his fundamental orifice again. Same old, same old. Please change the needle.

[TAWP]

'The bi-partisan culture-colonization and CIA front NED [and other organizations] has already been shown to give money to pro-Thaksin media-outlets - here comes the payback.

Anyone thinks this is about democracy or freedom of the people needs their head examined. It's all about control of customers citizens.'

Edited by TAWP, 2012-02-08 21:11:57.

[givenall]

I wonder who is visiting Thailand from USA. This always happen during official visits

[givenall]

Bagwan, on 2012-02-08 19:31:52, said:

These crackdowns crack me up.

Why buy a pirated DVD? Download from the Net and burn your own DVD. Government Minister talking through his fundamental orifice again. Same old, same old. Please change the needle.

Why even bother to make a dvd. You can just watch it and delete. I always see a movie one time

[surangw]

Is it that time of year already?

[noitom]

Another Thai "crackdown." They are the hub of crackdowns for sure. This intellectual property theft is extensive and daunting. So much corruption and crime. How about medicine, text books in university, software, music, not just movies. Start with the corruption and payoffs. Break the sources, arrest police, army. Get them in taped "stings." - show the black industry that you mean business and walk the walk. Don't just bust a few little guys at MBK and Panthip running around with slips of paper. Raid a few of the top universities with some army trucks and truck off all the xeroxed text books and a few school officials. Make it a real "crackdown," not just a hollow empty promise gassed up with lots of Thai bluster and puffing.

[sultan]

Gone, on 2012-02-08 18:33:46, said:

Reasonableman, on 2012-02-08 17:36:13, said:

LuckyLew, on 2012-02-08 17:27:07, said:

There is a simpler way to get this idea started
Why not go after the factories that produce fake / copied goods?
Would be simple to find out which factories are manufaturing these items.

A lot of these places are back-yard setups, not factories as such. Not easy.

True. When you go into any shopping mall, Panthip, tukcom etc. you want a copy the kid simply runs down the floor to the guy who has a burner and that's it.

The copy watches, shoes etc ate mostly imported from China.

Actually - not quite:

Granted - I'd agree on watches, but generally - imported counterfeit/over-run/2nds goods from china, such as clothing, bags etc, are sold at a premium vs the counterfeit/over-runs made in country ( transport will account for a slice of that. Import 'overheads' are inevitable whatever the legal status of the cargo too, right?). It is specific to the particular brand and, for the most part, it is down to where the genuine item is produced (though not necessarily ready-for-market) as to whether a local 'copy' is on the shelf at ~500THB vs a chinese import at ~700-800THB. The two do not compete, but rather; co-exist in parellel at slightly different pricepoints. Connect the dots and it is quite clear who is manufacturing these 'counterfeit' goods.
This is not a cottage industry - this is industrial levels of cost-effective production by large corporations. The sources would be no harder to find nearest toilet, if you really needed a wee.
Thailand, apparently, desire US support for a ridiculous claim to a monopoly on anything 'thai', and have offered the usual believable convictions which never quite bear fruit, will get the job done.... I"m guessing this was on the agenda during the recent Clinton Visit. The backdrop of SOPA/PIPA proposals could also be a factor.

As an aside - the notion of a law to combat dvd copying for sale in the country, not yet having been enacted, is as priceless as the 'we cant get a warrant for the illegal casino - it's private property' gem. More front than Brighton - makes me laugh regardless

[toenail]

Here we go again, the bi-annual crackdown on fake CD's, purses, watches, and such. Yes, these items will be off the streets for about 3 weeks, then back again once the police get their photographs taken showing the  world that they are taking care of the illegal copyright issue.

[Ricardo]

Haven't there been many similar crackdowns ? Methinks this must be yet another counterfeit crackdown !