IP crime-suppression efforts hampered by lack of manpower

The other provinces are Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Surat Thani, Phuket, Krabi and Songkhla.

After a meeting yesterday of the National Intellectual Property Policy Committee at Government House, Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) chief Nuntawan Sakuntanaga said the list of eight provinces’ 25 notorious market zones for counterfeit goods was based on information gathered since 2003. 

The 25 zones include Bangkok’s Khlong Thom, Ban Mor, Patpong, Silom, MBK mall, a section between Soi Sukhumvit 3 and 19, Pantip Plaza (situation was reportedly improved) and Saphan Lek (demolished). 

In Chon Buri, the zones were Pattaya Beach, Chatuchak Chon Buri Market and Computer Plaza mall. 

Phuket’s Patong, Kata and Karon beaches were named, along with Songkhla’s Santisuk, Kimyong and Yongdee markets. 

Asked why the problem persisted when the authorities could identify the areas, Nuntawan said crime-suppressing agencies should be asked if they had limitations in terms of manpower or budgets. 

She clarified that her department’s suppression officials had no authority to make arrests, but they could bring patent owners to file complaints and would need police help to make arrests.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had ordered the implementation of crime suppression via the Army, police and the Special Investigation Department (DSI) and preventive measures including a promotion of intellectual-property awareness among the public and schoolchildren, she said. 

They also discussed the international community’s concerns on four aspects: the suppression of fake goods; violations on the Internet; violations via cable/satellite TV channels and software; and the intellectual-property and patent laws. 

Nuntawan said her office would have the Information and Communications Technology Ministry block online shops from selling fake goods if they receive complaints from patent owners. 

Although the recent clash of DSI officials and Sa Kaew’s Rong Kleua Market vendors during a fake-goods inspection wasn’t directly tabled, the prime minister told government agencies that all border markets must be taken care of and the government would see to it that the trade in counterfeit-goods would be reduced. 

The meeting also discussed the shortage of patent-registering officials. The DIP has only 20 such experts to handle nearly 10,000 applications a year, hence 60,000 applications were still pending. Nuntawan said the panel instructed the DIP to consider hiring more people for the job, or outsourcing the work, and would submit such a plan to the prime minister later. 

Meanwhile, the DSI proceeded on working with the “Sa Kaew Model” operation to crack down on fake goods at Rong Kleua ahead of the US Trade Representative’s probe next month or in April, when that agency will consider removing Thailand from the Priority Watch List. 

DSI chief Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang said the operation so far had not uncovered state officials’ involvement but found that the trade network was made up of both Thais and Cambodians.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Money Laundering Office board yesterday agreed to impound assets worth Bt110 million in an intellectual-property-law violation by Chanchai Suwannapisit and accomplices, who allegedly sold 20,273 pairs of counterfeit sunglasses, Amlo chief Sihanart Prayoonrat said.