Bangkok--19 Nov--veropr
One week into their latest drive to reduce Thailand’s software piracy rate, Thai police officers have achieved significant results in raiding companies and organizations that use unlicensed software.
Ten companies with unlicensed software worth 11.9 million baht were among the first to be raided by officers of the Economic and Cyber Crime Division, the Thai police force tasked with enforcing Thailand’s software copyright laws.
“This is a strong start, but it is really just the beginning of our efforts to have a great finish in software anti-piracy efforts for 2010,” said Economic and Cyber Crime Division police spokesperson Chainarong Charoenchainao. “We promised a strong sweep of pirated software beginning on November 1, and we will deliver.”
Each of the companies raided last week is registered as a private Thai-owned business. Total assets for the companies raided last week totals nearly 717 million baht. Combined, the companies stated annual sales in 2009 of 740 million baht, according to official declarations.
“The companies raided last week have financial resources to comply with Thailand’s Copyright Act,” said the ECD spokesperson.
During the most recent raids, police found an inventory of 69 PCs containing 409 unlicensed software programs, including programs created by Autodesk, Microsoft and Thai Software Enterprises.
In addition to conducting last week’s raids, police have also stepped up their processes for investigations and obtaining search warrants. The police have 2,000 active investigations into use of unlicensed software at companies and organizations in Thailand.
Some of these targeted companies use strictly unlicensed software while others simply do not have enough licenses to cover the software assets they use in their companies, said the police.
By relying on search warrants based on evidence collected through investigations, anonymous tips and legal complaints from copyright holders, police officers from ECD say they expect the momentum of enforcement actions to continue to grow for the remainder of the year.
“This year, our efforts to enforce software piracy have been steady and consistent. Every week of 2010 we raided numerous companies for software piracy,” said the ECD spokesperson. “But as we enter the final quarter of 2010, it is necessary for us to raise the intensity level of our work. Our task is to enforce copyright laws in Thailand in order to enhance the country’s trade status and image as a place to do business. We will use our enforcement teams to thoroughly investigate and raid companies and organizations that use unlicensed software.”
The software piracy rate in Thailand is 75 percent and is in a downward trend partly as a result of consistent police enforcement, which includes ongoing investigations and multiple raids every week in which police visit companies where there is evidence of unlicensed software usage. Company directors face fines and possible jail sentences for software piracy.
Altogether this year, police actions against companies accused of software piracy have found pirated software in use worth nearly 400 million baht.
Police officials also emphasized that private enterprise is the primary target for software piracy raids. Police say that claims about software piracy raids at schools or other public organizations are completely inaccurate.
Those who report the use of unlicensed software by calling 02-714-1010 or by reporting it on line are eligible to receive an award of up to 250,000 Thai Baht. The identity of the caller is protected. More information is available online at www.stop.in.th.