Govt makes 2013 'Year of IPR Protection'

The Intellectual Property Department will closely cooperate with the Royal Thai Police to suppress violations such as manufacturing, importing and trading of counterfeit goods, and will also work with the Education Ministry to increase awareness of IPR among Thai youth.
Deputy Commerce Minister Natthawut Saikua said the plan to promote 2013 as the Year of IPR Protection (Pitak IPR) should improve Thailand’s international image in relation to recognition of copyrights.
The latest “Out-of-Cycle Review” by the US Trade Representative (USTR) identified 12 trading areas in Thailand as “red zones” with a high prevalence of IPR violations.
The areas are: Panthip Plaza, Klong Thom, Saphan Lek, Baan Mor, Chatuchak, MBK Shopping Centre, Siam Square, Sukhumvit Road and Patpong Market in Bangkok; Karon Beach/Patong in Phuket; IT City in Pattaya; and the Rong Klua Market/Friendship Border Market area at the Aranyaprathet border crossing with Cambodia.
Natthawut said the USTR’s report should not have a serious impact on Thailand’s image, as those areas had also been designated by Thai authorities as targets for enforcement against piracy and counterfeiting.
He said that because of the Thai government’s concerted effort to suppress IP violations and establish an innovation-based society, Thailand should be upgraded to the United States’ Watch List from its Priority Watch List within the next year. The deputy minister vowed that the anti-camcording law should be passed by Parliament early next year to establish punishments for those who record movies inside cinemas.
As the festive season has arrived, the government will send teams to inspect trading and shopping areas nationwide – particularly in the red-zone areas – for 10 days over the New Year period to demonstrate the Kingdom’s seriousness about cracking down on IPR violators.