Bangkok--29 Dec--vero pr
With only days remaining in 2009, Thai police officers continue to make progress in their efforts to reduce software piracy among companies that use unlicensed software products.
Since the start of this month, the Economic and Cyber Crime police division (ECD) has found 27 million baht of unlicensed software being used at companies in the telecom, automotive, design, publishing, construction and manufacturing sectors. Police officers also found nearly 300 PCs in December loaded with unlicensed software, including products made by Adobe, Autodesk, Dassault Systems Solidworks, Microsoft, Siemens and Thai Software Enterprises.
In one particularly substantial bust, police officers found 131 PCs loaded with a wide variety of unlicensed software products. This company operates a large manufacturing facility in Samut Sakorn.
“We see this as a strong ending to a strong year of software piracy police enforcement,” said Police Colonel Sarayuth Pooltanya of the ECD. “As we continue to get a steady-stream of tips, evidence and intelligence about companies that are violating the Thai Copyright Act, we fully anticipate more success in 2010 in reducing Thailand’s software piracy rate.”
The Thai anti-piracy net is catching a wide variety of companies, say police. Companies large and small based in Bangkok and a variety of provinces, operating in a wide range of sectors, are finding themselves under pressure to adhere to Thai Copyright Act B.E. 2537.
Among the recent noteworthy police raids are a hi-tech firm in Nonthaburi that was caught using unlicensed software on 34 PCs and a company in Chon Buri that was caught manufacturing items for the auto and electronics industry using 45 PCs loaded with high-value design software worth nearly 11.5 million baht. The company in Chon Buri is listed on the Korean stock exchange and operates a highly regarded, award-winning research and development department. In addition, police officers found nine million baht worth of unlicensed software at company with listed assets of nearly four billion baht and annual profits of nearly 200 million baht. This company, which operates in Samut Sakorn, owns numerous patents for their product designs.
Police also note that while some of the internationally developed software products pirated in Thailand have higher values, there is no product that is pirated more frequently than made in Thailand software products. Police say that more than 90 percent of the raids in 2009 included software products developed and copyrighted in Thailand.
“With a software piracy rate of 76 percent, it is only natural that we have a wide variety of violators using a wide variety of software products, including those made in Thailand,” said Police Colonel Sarayuth. “Police enforcement efforts are especially important given the government’s emphasis on building a creative economy through development of intellectual property.”
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.