Police include Commart exhibitors in raids against corporations using unlicensed software
• Garment factory producing Nike, Nautica, North Face and other international brands raided for 606 unlicensed software programs
• Police to push ahead with evidence collected in 1000 investigations of software piracy
• Anonymous reports of unlicensed software use continue to provide leads to police
BANGKOK (November 13, 2009) –Police officers continued their ongoing push against software piracy with another series of raids this week, including enforcement actions for software piracy at a leading information technology trade fair.
Members of the Economic and Cyber Crime police division (ECD) seized computers containing unlicensed software this week at Commart. In addition, three vendors were arrested and police officers are processing criminal complaints against the vendors for software piracy.
“We had teams of ECD officers doing patrols of Commart, talking to vendors and warning them not to sell PCs loaded with pirated software,” said Police Colonel Sarayuth Pooltanya of the ECD. “We patrolled Commart and issued warnings for the four days of the fair.”
ECD police officers said the reason for the extent of the raids was the receipt of complaints from software copyright holders in the weeks leading up to the trade fair.
The vendors charged with software piracy could face a jail sentences and fines if found guilty.
In addition to the raids at Commart, police officers are continuing their clamp down on software piracy among businesses that violate the Thai Copyright Act.
Among the recent high profile raids was a major garment manufacturer that manufactures and exports international clothing brands such as Nike, Nautica, North Face and Kappa. According to police, the manufacturer used a variety of software products in its Bangkok-based business operations. Police officers identified 99 PCs loaded with 606 unlicensed software products made by Microsoft, Adobe and Thai Software. The total value of the software is estimated at 5.4 million baht.
A high-tech company that creates automated systems for manufacturing companies was also charged recently for software piracy. The company, located in Nonthaburi, was found by police using unlicensed software worth 1.1 million baht. The software copyrights violated by this company are held by Autodesk.
“Since we began this enforcement intensification effort against software piracy, we have had successes. This is based on strong evidence collection and accurate intelligence about those companies who are suspected of software piracy,” said Police Colonel Sarayuth Pooltanya of the ECD. “We fully expect that this success will continue as we work to reduce Thailand’s software piracy rate. You can be certain that our investigations will lead to more high-quality raids in the days and weeks ahead.”
The ECD is among the organizations charged with the enforcement of intellectual property protections that are necessary to protect the innovations that are a critical aspect of the effort to position Thailand as a Creative Economy.
The ECD has made a significant impact in reducing Thailand’s software piracy rate of 76 percent. In each of the last two years, Thailand’s software piracy rate has fallen by two percent annually, a significant drop when compared to the reductions achieved in other countries during the same span of time.
Those who report the use of unlicensed software by calling 02-714-1010 or by reporting it on line are eligible to receive an award of up to 250,000 Thai Baht. The identity of the caller is protected. More information is available online at
www.stop.in.th.
