Police step up raids on firms using pirated software

Police are highlighting the importance of businesses using only legal software, in the wake of a series of raids last week that indicate that local firms in international supply chains continue to use pirated products. 

Suppliers and subcontractors to Thailand’s automobile sector were among those targeted in a series of anti-piracy raids this month. In turn, police are asking manufacturers to protect their businesses and employees by improving their understanding of how intellectual property violations may impact their role in international supply chains.

“Some supply-chain risks, such as natural disasters, are very challenging to manage, but avoiding the use of pirated software is a risk that executives can control and mitigate with a reasonable amount of oversight,” said Economic Crime Division Deputy Commander Pol Colonel Chainarong Charoenchainao. “Companies in Thailand and all of Asia should demonstrate to their customers that they are using genuine software. Increasingly, this will be a requirement demanded by customers.”

In the last two weeks of September police raided 13 companies for using pirated software in their operations. Among the firms raided was a seafood-products company in Songkhla with sales of Bt638 million in 2012; a Samut Prakan manufacturer of motorcycle parts that allegedly includes an automaker as a customer; a machine-parts maker in Pathum Thani with Singaporean shareholders and sales of Bt307 million in 2012; a manufacturer of furniture for export to the US; and a Taiwanese-owned company that makes sports apparel in Chon Buri and had sales in 2012 of Bt59 million.

Police continue their record-setting pace for raids of companies using pirated software as a result of increased staffing, growing investigations and geographic expansion of enforcement activity.

Through the first nine months of 2013, police have raided 235 companies on suspicion of software piracy. The companies are located in approximately 20 provinces with high levels of industry. By comparison, in the entire 12 months of 2012, police conducted 179 raids that turned up violations of software copyrights. Autodesk, Microsoft, Tekla, Siemens PLM Software and Thai Software Enterprises are some of the companies for whose products violations have been filed.

The increased police activity runs in parallel with the Department of Intellectual Property’s declaration that 2013 is the Year of IPR Protection in Thailand.

Under the Copyright Act BE 2537, infringement of a copyrighted computer program carries punishment of imprisonment and/or a fine. Those who report the use of unlicensed software by calling the BSA Hotline at (02) 714 1010 or by reporting it online are eligible to receive a reward of up to Bt250,000. The identity of the caller is protected.