Bangkok--30 May--Vero PR - Police claim unlicensed software installed on more than 50 PCs - Companies face fines and business disruptions for alleged use of unlicensed software - National campaign to promote and protect intellectual property gains momentum Thai police authorities continue their efforts to curb the use of pirated and/or unlicensed software in the business sector with enforcement officers from the Economic and Technical Crimes Suppression Division (ECOTEC) raiding the premises of manufacturing companies in Rathchaburi and Lumphun and an architectural firm in Bangkok for their alleged use of unlicensed software belonging to members of the Business Software Alliance (BSA) Announcing the most recent raids, ECOTEC Commander Pol Col Sarayuth Pooltanya said, “We are serious about putting a stop to the culture of using unlicensed software in businesses in Thailand. This is illegal and must stop. As such, we will spare no effort in ensuring that businesses within our jurisdiction adhere to the laws with as many raids as required to bring home the message.” “So far this year, we have undertaken a total of 18 raids on businesses using suspected pirated and/or unlicensed software. From these 18 raids, ECOTEC has identified a total of almost 700 computers on business premises containing pirated and/or unlicensed software, estimated to have a combined worth of 86 million Thai Baht.” Sarayuth added, “The companies we have raided are under investigation. Once the investigations are concluded and evidence is compiled against each of them, we will proceed to having them charged in court. If found guilty of possessing infringing copies of software programs, the company and its director/s will be liable and will be required to pay fines.” According to a study conducted by the IDC, a ten percentage point reduction of the software piracy rate would result in an economic boost for Thailand—including the creation of 2,100 more high wage jobs and 30,000 million baht in economic stimulus. These figures are cited by the Department of Intellectual Property as they continue to gain momentum with their recently launched National Intellectual Property Campaign, designed to increase awareness for the benefits of genuine software for productivity, security and the Thai economy in general. Speaking on behalf of the BSA, Spokesperson Siripat Patrangul, said, “The BSA applauds ECOTEC for their resilience in their continuing fight against software piracy in Thailand. It is especially disturbing to see that one of the companies suspected of IP infringement is an architectural services firm. Architecture is an industry in which creativity and intellectual property are regarded as highly prized assets. One would think that since this company is in the business of producing intellectual property in the form of architectural designs, that they would respect the intellectual property of others too.” People who report their employers’ use of unlicensed software by their employers are eligible for significant cash rewards. Successfully prosecuted cases result in rewards of up to 250,000 Thai Baht. For additional information, visit www.bsa.org. “All calls to the BSA anti-piracy hotline phone numbers 02-711-6193 or 1-800-291-005 will be investigated and treated in the strictest of confidence to ensure that the identity of the informant is protected” said K. Siripat. “The BSA will continue to reward anyone who offers information on businesses that use unlicensed and/or pirated software, which leads to a successful action by the police.” About BSA The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. BSA is the voice of the world's commercial software industry and its hardware partners before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members represent one of the fastest growing industries in the world. BSA programs foster technology innovation through education and policy initiatives that promote copyright protection, cyber security, trade and e-commerce. BSA members include Adobe, Agilent Technologies, Altium, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, BEA Systems, Bentley Systems, Borland, CA, Cadence Design Systems, Cisco Systems, CNC Software/Mastercam, Corel, Dell, EMC, Frontline PCB Solutions - An Orbotech Valor Company, HP, IBM, Intel, INUS Technology, McAfee, Microsoft, Mindjet, Minitab, Monotype Imaging, PTC, Quark, Quest Software, SAP, Siemens PLM Software, SolidWorks, SPSS, Sybase, Symantec, Synopsys, ThaiSoftware, Tekla, The MathWorks and Trend Micro. BSA local affiliates include Thai Software Enterprise. Media Contact: +66 (0) 2684-1551