Bush & Thailand’s Piracy Crackdown, Part XXVII

They’re a little late this time around. But they finally made it: The police raids in Bangkok on vendors with fake brand-name products - punctually again signalizing the arrival of a high foreign, mostly U.S. dignitary.

And U.S. President George Dubya Bush is in town early August. Time for Bangkok to clean up its piracy act. Again. But rest assured, a few days after the departure of the president all counterfeit sales will be back to normal.

It had happened before the last APEC summit in Bangkok and it happens before every major international conference that brings Western dignitaries to town: Police raids on pirated designer bags, fake Swiss watches and, unavoidably, copied DVDs.

Don’t head to Pantip Plaza during these so strangely untypical Bangkok days. Most sellers of any pirated items will advise you to come back in a few weeks. As Bangkok teems with U.S. officials preparing for the arrival of their president - Bush’s last visit to Asia before he will finally call it a day.

2Bangkok reported on a surprisingly eager Patpong raid on Friday, July 25th: “Police are conducting a massive crackdown on vendors with fake brand-name products on Soi Patpong in downtown Bangkok.”

“Patpong, known for its many go-go bars,” says the report, “is one of the protected entertainment areas thought to be immune from normal standards of law enforcement. Reports indicate that vendors are angrily challenging police efforts to confiscate their goods.”

It’s a law of nature not to rely on piracy shopping in Bangkok before such auspicious events. As it’s ritually the time Thai authorities attempt to dupe their guests and pretend that the fight against intellectual copycats is alive and well.

Not that I’m supporting piracy and such. It’s just … this childish Thai approach. They seriously seem to think that they can take their guests for such fools.

Again and again.

And the approach works. Bush gives Thailand even the honor of his last trip to Asia as president of the United States of America, champion of the global fight against intellectual property abuse.




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July 28, 2008 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Gadgets & Shopping, Politics, The Thai Mind 

Comments

5 Responses to “Bush & Thailand’s Piracy Crackdown, Part XXVII”

  1. ThaiCrisis on July 28th, 2008 8.28 am

    Indeed. It’s like a tradition. A little game officials love to play.

    We should note that Thailand is not the only one … China is an expert of “hide and seek” game too.

    And Vietnam is a future - very good - candidate …

    We need to go further: What are the common points (if any) between those 3 countries?

    Several things I think:

    - 1. The idea that foreigners are stupid. You can fool all of them, for all the time, many Asian leaders believe.

    Fair enough, it’s partly true. ;-)

    - 2. The idea that a problem is solved if you say so (or write so). This is a very Asian bias indeed. And it applies to virtually everything.

    Some examples: They write a law designed to take care of a problem. For instance “piracy is very wrong.” Therefore the problem is solved.

    ;-) Because it’s written!

    The police organize a raid to clean a street … Bam. Problem is solved (Today. Tomorrow of course it will come back but that’s out of the scope of the “bias.”)

    I’ve got many other examples of this “bias” (I’m still looking for a good name for it), particularly in the field of the special rhetoric Asian politicians love to use to subdue (they believe) their audience.

    We could find some western translations of this “bias.” For instance the “magical thinking.”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_thinking

    Or “syllogism.”

    So we can be sure that Samak will say to Bush: “We are going to solve the problem of piracy … because (pick one)

    - we have a new law
    - I’ve ordered to police to
    - etc.
    ;-)

  2. BangkokDan on July 28th, 2008 2.34 pm

    You’re looking for a word that has to include the virtues of

    - ignorance
    - arrogance
    - demagogy
    - wishful thinking
    - short-term memory
    - & the beautiful syllogism

    BangkokDan

  3. BKK Piracy Crackdown - Ajarn Forum - Living and Teaching In Thailand on July 30th, 2008 8.08 am

    [...] of the United States of America, champion of the global fight against intellectual property abuse. Bush & Thailand’s Piracy Crackdown, Part XXVII __________________ Now, to pry into roots, to finger slime, To stare, big-eyed Narcissus, into [...]

  4. BangkokDan on July 31st, 2008 1.39 pm

    And you must furthermore wonder if a katoey could be considered a “fake good.” In the eyes of the Americans.

    BangkokDan

  5. AlexM on August 14th, 2008 11.26 am

    I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!

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