Trouble in pirates' paradise

News > Investigative Report

The director of the DSI's Intellectual Property Crime Department reveals his team's tactics, myriad challenges, and the hard-fought successes it won outside the spotlight

Published: 2/01/2011 at 03:40 AM
Newspaper section: Spectrum

It seems a task like that forced on Sisyphus, the mythical Greek king doomed to forever roll a boulder up a hill only for it to tumble back down again every time - stamping out the counterfeit and pirated goods that have become as synonymous with underground economy Thailand as sex for sale and illicit drugs.

KEEPING THE PIRATES AT BAY: Pol Col Pravesana Mulpramook, the director of the Department of Special Investigation’s Intellectual Property Crime Department.

But that is the brief of Police Colonel Pravesana Mulpramook, director of the Department of Special Investigation's (DSI) Intellectual Property Crime Bureau.

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About the author

: Writer: Maxmilian Wechsler; Position: Freelance writer

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wakeup
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Discussion 4 : 02/01/2011 at 08:10 PM4
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These globalist corporations pining to the DSI love "free trade" and "free markets" as long as its allowing them to stomp out their competition and monopolize entire markets. When the tables turn and they are out competed by local factories and disruptive technology, they cry foul and roll in the regulations. Strange the same guys backing UDD are in here commenting on behalf of the mega-corporations... there is no such thing as "intellectual property" and selling "pirated" DVD's and replicas (as long as people know its a replica) is not theft.
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barryw
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Discussion 3 : 02/01/2011 at 07:10 PM3
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It is utter nonsense to say that companies whose goods are faked lose so many millions of baht/dollars/euros/whatever. People who spend a few hundred baht on a fake Rolex are not going to buy the real thing, so no sale is lost.

The only problem with counterfeit goods is when it spreads to drugs, car spares etc, which can lead to people dying. Cracking down on the sale of handbags and dvds is a waste of resources.
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durieu
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Discussion 2 : 02/01/2011 at 05:40 PM2
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Bkkmatt, I'm agreeing with you. I just add give more social justice to allows poor people to by some important goods they could need without buying counterfeit ones.
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bkkmatt
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Discussion 1 : 02/01/2011 at 10:35 AM1
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"We can accept only big cases, like factories, storage places, distributors or big retailers where the value of goods seized exceeds 500,000 baht,'' he said. ''We won't raid stalls on the street or small shops as this is the duty of other agencies.''

Other agencies being the BIB, and that there lies the problem.
Police, as we all know, are easily bribed, so street stalls and vendors can continue to sell these DVD's. A whole lot of the problems lie at the police force's door step. If only Thailand had a decent, honest police force, most of these day to day problems like Counterfit goods, traffic accidents, drugs, corruption etc would improve overnight. Clean up the Police force and you clean up a lot of underlying problems.
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Trouble in pirates' paradise | Bangkok Post: news