Counterfeit goods widely available in Thailand
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Almost everyone who goes to Thailand op holiday comes back with an imitation watch from an expensive brand in the suitcase. Buying counterfeit products in Thailand is strictly formally punishable, but the chance of being caught is small. Dutch Customs also has no problem with small quantities for personal use that were purchased during your holiday.
A somewhat older study published in the 'British Journal of Criminology' also showed that the large-scale sale of counterfeit products does not necessarily have to be detrimental to manufacturers.
Thailand: paradise for shoppers
Thailand is a true shopper's paradise. In Bangkok you will find the most exclusive shopping malls you can imagine. For example, take a look at Siam Paragon. You will certainly come across well-known fashion brands such as Kenzo, Cartier, YSL, Armani, Burberry, Hugo Boss, Escada, Prada, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Please also bring your credit card.
Counterfeit goods, a thriving trade
But Thailand is also known for its many counterfeit goods. Bags, watches, perfume, clothing, jewellery, DVDs and CDs in Thailand you almost literally trip over them. The tourists love it. For an average of 50 euros you can purchase an expensive brand watch that cannot be distinguished from the real thing. Rolex, Breitling, Panerai, IWC, Baume & Mercier or Raymon Weil, the extremely expensive watch brands are widely represented in the streets of Bangkok. The ladies especially feast on the counterfeit shoes and bags of Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Chanel, Gucci and other well-known fashion houses.
Thailand turns a blind eye to the sale of imitations
The counterfeit items are sold in Thailand, but almost all come from China. Thai police seized more than 2016 million counterfeit products in 1,8 and 2009 million in all of 5. It's all appearances and a drop in the ocean. There is so much money involved, the sale of it continues.
Manufacturers do not suffer from sales of fakes
In some countries such as Italy there are high penalties for buying or distributing the so-called replicas. But that is mainly to protect their own industry. A study in the 'British Journal of Criminology' showed that the manufacturers of the branded goods hardly suffer from it. They enable tourists to buy beautiful things for little money. After all, the 'fake items' are purchased by people who would never buy the original products. They also help to increase the brand awareness of the original.
According to the investigation, the damage would amount to less than a fifth of the amount that the producers themselves say they are missing out on. “The counterfeit goods help the luxury brands as it speeds up the fashion circle and raises the brand awareness,” confirms well-known British criminologist David Wall.
According to Wall, who himself participated in the investigation of the British Journal of Criminology, the police and customs should put less effort into tracking down and bringing these producers to justice. More serious matters such as arms and drug smuggling would, in his opinion, deserve more attention.
Counterfeiting for personal use is allowed
Bringing and importing counterfeit items used to be prohibited. Nowadays you can bring some fake articles to the Netherlands for your own use. You may only take counterfeit items with you if you do not trade with them, see: www.taxdienst.nl/
When I still worked as a flight attendant, I sometimes brought bags and watches with me on request. However, never for personal use. I would rather have a real Casio than a counterfeit Breitling.
I did earn some extra pocket money for a while by buying real Luis Vitton bags in Japan and selling them on Ebay. These often came from Europe and in Japan you could be sure they were real. The first time I even went to a resume with a bag
went to an LV store and had the bag checked. In Thailand, Bangkok, I also knew a shop that sold real second hand luxury bags, but because of the reputation it was better not to try to sell these from Thailand. I was not confident myself and moreover the used bags in Japan looked better and there was more choice.
Besides, the best counterfeit items come from South Korea. In Silom Village I knew two shops that sold very good fakes. They were much better than what you bought on a Pat Pong.
But there too I knew a store where you came through a back door in a hidden part of the store and you could get good stuff.
I don't know if these things still exist.
All this is still quite harmless, but unfortunately there is also counterfeiting that can endanger people.
There are factories that make counterfeit, lower quality parts for cars, motorcycles, airplanes and other vehicles that you sometimes buy without knowing it. They have not been tested and can break at any time.
There must be a museum somewhere in Bangkok where you can see a lot of looted copies. Even chocolate bars and tomato ketchup!
Dear Jack,
Indeed, as you wrote “All this is still quite innocent, but unfortunately there is also counterfeiting that can endanger people”. That is certainly true, just think of essential parts such as shock absorbers, airbags, etc. Or order viagra pills online, you don't understand why people do it, but it just happens because a viagra pill through the regular route is considered too expensive for many. But these are "safe" if you are healthy and not a heart patient.
At best, they got a "smartie" and it tastes like candy, but not what they bought it for. It can be much worse, that one simply buys pure "poison" because these ordered pills have not undergone any control.
Most people will consider "counterfeiting" something harmless, but who decides? Entire industries have changed over the years as everything demanded is copied.
Example: you used to buy a sound or image carrier (CD-DVD) for a few tens. Now this industry has been marginalized (of course also partly by streaming services) and you see that the performing artists are looking for other ways to make money. They sometimes put their new work online (for free) and then hope to earn money through advertising, merchandising and concert tickets (at exorbitant prices).
My response is actually directed to the article by the comment that the luxury brands have not really been damaged by the arguments as described.
Assuming this is correct, who decides when "counterfeiting" is okay and when it isn't? I have no idea if it has ever been researched, but it could very well be that this entire industry is run by the same criminals as those who are involved in the drug and women trafficking industry. There are billions in this industry and why if the money involved leaves one alone and pursues the other?
Maybe I am going a bit too fast but what is crooked cannot be straight and my personal opinion is if you have put a "product" on the market with your own skills, strength, inspiration, artistic ability or whatever and others “stealing” that have been given permission without permission from the copyright holder(s) remains wrong and it is strange to say this is wrong and this is also wrong, but less because it is not that bad.
I have been in Thailand for 2.5 months at the moment, and notice that the police are increasingly checking for counterfeit items and warning the sellers, do not sell counterfeits and they issue fines, I also see less and less counterfeits, at shops they also tell the police always comes we are no longer allowed to sell counterfeit
they are more strictly controlled on koh samui
If this article was written 10 years ago it might be true, not anymore.
These days almost all markets are pretty tightly controlled and it is very hard to find such stuff.
CDs and DVDs are almost no longer available as copies and to find clothing etc. you really have to search or make miles!!!
I've been back from Thailand for about a month, and I come across counterfeit clothing from Nike, Adidas, Fila, Reebok, Louis Vuitton in all the markets I've visited (Isaan and Bangkok). You really don't have to bother looking for these articles.
Brought quite a few of those things in 1993-4-5, Every boyfriend and boyfriend of… had a genuine original Thai Rolex on his wrist. Boys aged 11+. Now they are a bit older and a few have a real … the childhood idea. I dare to say that counterfeiting works POSITIVELY for those brands.
Fake medicines…, safety materials… of course you shouldn't trust your life to that.
Mr Wong in Pattaya has pretty good imitation clocks
Indeed. Mr. Wong has the better imitations, they are also a lot more expensive than the street sales, and he makes them waterproof. You have to find out where he is with his trade.
I remember once buying a counterfeit rolex. 3500 Baht. When I drove through a downpour on the scooter, the water was inside my rolex.
Since then I don't need that mess anymore. I would never buy a real one even if I were rich. I think a real casio is just as beautiful and very reliable. And who cares about all of that.