Guest Posted August 15, 2001 Report Share Posted August 15, 2001 Check out the first paragraph from today's online BKK post: "Police have warned makers of pirated movie products not to produce fake versions of the big-budget Thai epic Suriyothai." If you read a recent issue of TIME and the Thai newspapers, there is supposedly a war on pirated products going on in LOS. Has anyone noticed any battles against copyright infringement going on? I have not. You can still buy burnt CDs on Khoa Sarn Road; you can still buy fake Polo shirts, wallets, handbags and watches on Sukumvit. You can also buy fake versions of CVDs just about anywhere. My question is do they really go out of their way to stop the selling of all the pirated versions of farang films? No. Yet they will make an effort to protect their own intellectual property. If there is a war against pirated goods going on, it is very one sided. So has anyone witnessed any knockoff shops being closed down by the authorities? I am not offended by knockoffs and have purchased them in the past. My wallet is a knockoff. My sandals are knockoffs. And, like many teachers in LOS, I have some knockoff shirts in my wardrobe... but I don't wear them because the sleeves are too short. So what are your thoughts on knockoffs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarisin Posted August 15, 2001 Report Share Posted August 15, 2001 quote: Originally posted by KhunK: don't wear them because the sleeves are too short. So what are your thoughts on knockoffs? Nice post KhunK, and some interesting questions. I had to laugh about your comment about not wearing knockoff shirts because the sleeves are too short. You are right about that - also, why do they seem to shrink vertically (exposing Mr. Beer Belly) rather than horizontally? Anyway, I seldom buy this knockoff stuff. However, whenever I have a visitor in town that is the first thing they want to buy - unless it is a horndog, and you know what he wants first! So, dutifully, I run him/her over to the NightMarket or Pratunam and let them get their fill of the fake crap. Watches, bags, shirts, you-name-it, and they are as happy as shit. Personally, I would rather go watchless than wear a fake Rolex, or I would rather wear an "I'm With Stupid" t-shirt than one with a bogus Nike swoosh. But, the visitors like this stuff so I try to take them where it is cheapest. A good point with 'Suriyothai.' If you will recall the same thing happened when 'Bangrachan' was out. I never do recall seeing any fake copies of that movie either. Anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2001 Report Share Posted August 15, 2001 You're going to love this....I saw no pirated copies of "Bang Rajan" in Thailand. However, there were plenty of pirated copies available in the Thai Town section of Los Angeles for the Thais to see. Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2001 Report Share Posted August 15, 2001 Strange isn't it. Mind you I did buy a pirated VCD copy of Mae Bia. You will notice that Thai software is also very difficult to find in pirated form. The Thai-Soft So Sethaputra Dictionary, although not expensive in itself (280baht) is not seen in pirated form anywhere in Panthip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarisin Posted August 15, 2001 Report Share Posted August 15, 2001 Good points Dan and nepfan. Khun Sanuk and I were discussing the paucity of Thai porno at lunch - not that we would ever consider buying any. I'm sure it is available, but I think the numbers pale in comparison to the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese stuff you see in those very secret (ha!) loose leaf binders. Also, check out the guys selling the pirated CDs at 150 baht. I am talking the farang music CDs here. Ever see any pirated Thai music CDs? I haven't. I usually go to Tower (I guess they changed their name to CD Wherehouse or something like that) and pay 289 each I believe. Same for cassettes although those are already dirt-cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamock Chokaprret Posted August 15, 2001 Report Share Posted August 15, 2001 I read the post article this morning too and in some ways I can see the point. If the movie doesn't make enough money because it gets pirated there is no incentive to make another like it, hence no input to the Thai economy. Pirating western software and movies has no negative impact on the Thai economy. My only fear is that if renegades try to pirate the Thai movie, the piracy police will shutdown the 'legitimate' vendors of the software I like to purchase. For evaluation purposes only of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whosyourdaddy Posted August 16, 2001 Report Share Posted August 16, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Dan: Strange isn't it. Mind you I did buy a pirated VCD copy of Mae Bia. You will notice that Thai software is also very difficult to find in pirated form. The Thai-Soft So Sethaputra Dictionary, although not expensive in itself (280baht) is not seen in pirated form anywhere in Panthip. I have 3 different versians on soft so dict. They came on e thai masters Cd. which has all the thai software that I can find all for 100 bhat The reason why you dont see Thai software like a thai spell check etc. is that nobody in there right mind would invest the time and energy to make it, since it will be copied and distributed by pantip without any profits going to the software company. So hence no body makes anything anymore. This is one of the serious side effects of copying cds. The thais are going to be years behind because of it. WYD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2001 Report Share Posted August 16, 2001 Ticket prices will be set at 120 to 150 baht to help recoup the extensive production costs(!) (400 million baht = $8.9 million). The reason for the crack down by the Thai police - according to a Police spokesman - is that the movie is very important to Thai history. Hmm, I mean ... huh? erhh? ... Damn it, let them piracy copies FLOW!!! .... so every Thai family can afford to see this important movie. Peace! P.S. the movie is projected to gross 300 million in Bangkok and 150 million baht in the provinces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
togaduke Posted August 16, 2001 Report Share Posted August 16, 2001 really makes ya think..that is a good point. I like the fakes, esp clothes for my son ..its a vary one sided world there..and vary open about it..no suriyothai, but any other movie ok.. and I doint think I will be buying movies.. and I perfer to see them in the theater anyhow, and the ones I did buy in malaysia, did not work in america anyhow..and I doint want to risk taking my laptop to test them before I buy them..any other good way to test the zone before you buy. I guess a portable dvd player.. might work and what the odds of getting back in the states with a few bags, and watches for my family . last time I got back no problim with a few ,but now everybody in my family wants more... and thats why I tell them I go there..not the beautifull eye candy... [ August 15, 2001: Message edited by: togaduke ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted August 17, 2001 Report Share Posted August 17, 2001 Why bother with a pirated copy? Just wait a while. I bought my legit copy of NANG NAHK for 199 baht in a video shop. (It was marked 250, but nobody ever sells things for the list price.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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