I can see a new way of the police targeting the tourists in Thailand. The government of Thailand has launched a new crack down on pirated goods and buyers have to pay 1000 THB and sellers up to 300 000 THB.
This leaves the corrupt police a perfect plan to get some extra money by arresting foreigners looking for fake bags or DVD.
I do not really know why the Thai government just acts on Patpong, MBK and Pantip right away. It would send a strong signal and then enforce the new rules.
This will just lead to more corruption since people will pay the bribe to the police to look the other way. The anti littering law that gives you a 2000 THB fine is only enforces on foreigners outside the immigration office for example. I never in my life seen a Thai police officers stop a fellow Thai and give him or her 2000 THB ticket for littering.
It is good that the Thai government finally clamping down on the piracy but we heard it so many times before and it has only led to the police getting more money.
Mindstream
that’s interesting please send us a picture of that
Leosia
It will be interesting to see whether this crackdown extends to areas where “most” pirated goods are sold – in offices and malls. For example, I work in a complex of three office blocks where approximately 12,000 staff are employed. DVD vendors rent space from building management and sell DVD’s for 80 baht and Blu-Ray for 120 baht. You can order direct (without packaging) for 40 baht.
My guess is that it will just be restricted to the tourist areas where copy DVD’s are sold at extortionate prices anyway.