Another publicity raid to show that he Thai authorities are actually doing something against pirated goods.... In a month from now all will be back to normal is my educated guess.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) seized 23,000 pieces of counterfeit iPhones, iPads, cellphones and brand-name clothes worth Bt10 million from five shops in Bangkok's Indra Square and MBK Centre, senior officials said yesterday. DSI chief Tharit Pengdit and Pol Colonel Pravesana Mulpramook, director of the DSI Intellectual Property Crime Bureau, said yesterday that initial investigation showed the five shops, all called Zirtel, were owned by a private firm. DSI was checking to see if a politician or influential figure might be involved. The company's board members will face charges and most of them have already contacted DSI to surrender. As for owners of the retail space, the DSI has warned them that if violators of the intellectual property law were arrested on their premises again, the landlords would also face legal action. The shop managers were initially charged with selling counterfeit products carrying patented trademarks and would be sent along with evidence to police. Mala Tangprasert from the private sector's committee for intellectual property prevention and suppression said the company in question was part of a major network importing counterfeit products and caused the government to lose income from related taxes and caused consumers harm from using bad-quality products.
No comments:
Post a Comment