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ENTERTAINMENT
WORANUJ MANEERUNGSEE
Samart: Not worth it after all |
Media Network Retail Co (MNR) has cancelled a plan to buy the rights to the Japanese superhero Ultraman for distribution in Thailand from Tsuburaya Productions despite the settlement of a decade-long legal dispute in the Japanese company's favour.
Tsuburaya demanded that MNR fight on its behalf more than 10 cases now in court over the copyright of the superhero, said Samart Chuasiriphattana, managing director of MNR, which operates the home entertainment store chain.
''I think it's too complicated and time-consuming to do that. I wonder whether it would be worth it after all,'' said Mr Samart, who recently merged his business with M Pictures Entertainment, the Major Cineplex Group Plc affiliate formerly known as Traffic Corner Holdings.
Instead, he has turned to American cartoon characters featured on the pay-TV Cartoon Network and a deal is scheduled to be announced soon.
In February, he signed a four-year contract with Tsuburaya for the rights to the Ultraman Mebius character. The deal was signed after the Thai Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Japanese firm. The court agreed that a 1976 contract used by Chaiyo's Sompote Saengduenchai was a forgery.
But Tsuburaya's new demand came after it was acquired late last year by TYO Inc, a Japanese media group.
''The deal was cancelled and I got all the money back, except for a small compensation that I have to work out,'' he said.
The change in the management at Tsuburaya has affected its local representative Pro-Link Co as well.
''We are no longer the representative of Tsuburaya,'' said Sampote Thianthong, Pro-Link's managing director, who has fought in court over the rights in Thailand for years.
Mr Sampote said the company would not mind if it no longer represented the Japanese company. But the fact that he and the company are defendants in some of these cases does bother him, and the legal fees are a big problem.Pro-Link will discuss the cost issue with Tsuburaya's legal adviser Baker & McKenzie in Thailand, said Mr Sampote. If no favourable agreement is reached, he might take legal action against Tsuburaya.
Meanwhile, Dream Express, a local franchisee of the Japanese Masked Rider TV series and merchandise, has showed an interest in applying for the rights to the Ultraman character.
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