July fair to tackle issue of copyright violation
The Intellectual Property Department will spend Bt8 million to hold a fair aimed at cracking down on illegal products and making people more aware of their rights.
The event will take place at Bangkok's Queen Sirikit Convention Centre from July 20-22. The department also plans to arrange similar fairs in other parts of the country, with a theme of patent awareness. "Counterfeit goods are a major problem in Thailand. The fair will help to strengthen the public's awareness of rights protection," said director-general Puangrat Asavapisit. The fair will include seminars on artists' patents and how to suppress violations. Private firms in the music and video industries will be co-organisers. The Motion Picture Association of America, Platinum, TECA, Microsoft, United, Two Dimensions, RS, GMM and True UBC will launch their own television commercial about counterfeiting. The department will also spend Bt1 million to launch its own television campaign on the importance of protecting intellectual property. Puangrat said the campaign was one of the key policies in the government's national, economic and social development plan. The department will not only clamp down on violations, but also urge people to stop supporting fake goods. The department and police frequently inspect all CD factories to eliminate copyright violations and the smuggling of machinery to produce counterfeit goods in the Kingdom. As part of the crack-down on piracy, the government will keep a close watch on imported CD and DVD machines that could be used to manufacture illegal products, Puangrat said. Copyright violations in Thailand come in two forms: cross-border smuggling and illegal manufacturing. Thailand's piracy problem is monitored by the United States. Authorities hope to reduce the number of illegal products so that the US will not put the Kingdom on its Priority Watch List.
Petchanet Pratruangkrai The Nation
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