Harder crackdown on web-based piracy
The Intellectual Property Department of the Commerce Ministry is working more closely with police, local businesses and US Customs to suppress software piracy in Thailand after finding significant infringement in the cyber-world.
“The department will strengthen cooperation with police and the Information and Communications Technology Ministry to reduce piracy on the Internet,” Siriwat Kajornprasart, deputy commerce minister, said yesterday.
The Internet sees a higher rate of piracy than normal trading channels, he told a seminar on “Preventive and Suppression Measures against IP Infringement in the Digital Era”.
Many traders have adopted a strategy of selling illegal goods online – such as movies, songs, watches, medicine and nutrition supplements – since it is easy and expenses are low.
According to the department’s report, software piracy occurs in many forms such as free Web boards, websites offering free downloads and social networks.
The Economic and Cybercrime Division of the National Police has noted that the rate of copied software installed on the country’s personal computers was 71 per cent and falling by about 2 percentage points annually.
The department together with other agencies aims to lower the violation rate to 60 per cent, focusing on illegal software.
