Kings Of Fakes

“Is that a real fake?” With that question you can easily embarrass a local belle who sports a brand new fake Gucci or Louis Vuitton or whatever bag. Because the question sounds like: “Is that one real?” Fakes of everything have become an integral part of Thai consumer and other goods. Industrial-style for that. A lot is fake over here. Now we’re warned. You risk a 300,000 euro fine.

Facing a complete lack of own innovation and lackluster law enforcement of intellectual property rights, the easiest and cheapest way is to just copy anything desired. You name it, you’ll find a fake copy of it. Be it of mayonnaise, cookies, DVDs, bags, watches, 1,000 baht banknotes or any hot new item … Thais have become masters of the fake.

Remember Rotiboy, that franchise from Malaysia? They were a sensation in Bangkok, famous for the fatally attractive aroma of their coffee-flavored Mexican buns which smell from a distance away and attract anyone who passes by. Is there any Rotiboy left in Bangkok? They were copied more quickly than they could bake their buns. Rotiboy’s Thai site mr bun is rather empty.

Recently I wanted to buy a desktop at a renowned computer store. A Windows machine, as it would be for the family. The leaflet only mentioned “DOS Operating System.” I asked about Windows. “200 baht,” was the answer. At a major seller that couldn’t look more official. Illegally legal or legally illegal stuff?! It all gets cheaper, cheapest, more cheap.

The positives for you? You safe money, can watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster in master tape quality in the coziness of your own walls for a song … But most importantly you’re trying to afford something you can’t really afford, can you. But … you can’t even evade those fakes! They not only offer nearly the same for less. They’re unavoidably everywhere.

There’s no escape. Not that Thailand’s an exception, but Thais are exceptionally gifted copycatters. Well, at least we’re now warned by the Department of Intellectual Property DIP that counterfeit and pirated products can actually be harmful – if you carry them into European countries.

At a recent presser at Suvarnabhumi airport the DIP joined the Airports Authority of Thailand AOT to warn tourists who carry such stuff into the E.U. The penalty for such a common habit around here is up to three years in jail and a 300,000 euro fine. That’s more than 14 million baht for your information.

If you’re a tourist or on business and travels to, let’s say, Italy or France with a fake designer item, according to the law you’re an importer who exported that item into their nations. And you face that rather magnificent fine of up to three years in jail when entering France. Italy with a maximum fine of up to 10,000 euro is peanuts in comparison.

So remember: When traveling to Europe with fake designer glasses and shoes and bags, select the country of your arrival with care. It’s kind of like playing little Thaksin. You constantly have to ask yourself: Where will I get arrested? Where not?

Mr. Alongkorn Ponlaboot, Deputy Minister of Commerce, went on to say that warning signs at Suvarnabhumi will not only warn both Thai and foreigners in protecting themselves from becoming outlaws. He said that the whole campaign shall promote Thailand as a country that considers the importance of protecting intellectual property rights.

Dunno, but sometimes I can’t shake off that feeling of living in different countries concurrently over here …