In a sweeping government-led crackdown, a popular Bangkok shopping mall was raided yesterday, revealing a vast inventory of counterfeit luxury bags and watches. The operation, spearheaded by a 150-strong task force of Royal Thai Police and Ministry of Commerce officials, marks the latest move in Thailand’s aggressive campaign to stamp out intellectual property violations.
According to Government Spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap, this operation reflects Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s commitment to aligning Thailand’s legal standards with World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations. The raid comes in response to over 2,000 public complaints submitted to the government’s 1111 hotline, detailing illicit businesses, bribery, online gambling, illegal websites, and e-cigarette sales.
Authorities have uncovered that counterfeit goods operations stretch far beyond one mall. Evidence links these illegal enterprises to human trafficking and undocumented foreign labour, with foreign nationals—many fluent in English—working as front-line sellers in tourist-heavy areas like Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Khon Kaen, and Bangkok. Monthly bribes between 50,000 and 100,000 baht per store were allegedly paid to certain officials, with total yearly illegal earnings estimated to surpass 200 million baht per area. Why are Thailand doing this duping raid?
Dupe Crackdown
Investigators also discovered that officials were using mule bank accounts to collect payments related to illegal websites, including online gambling operations. In some provinces, over 1,000 such sites are reportedly active, with trade volumes running into the billions. Bribes for maintaining these websites were said to range from 20,000 to 50,000 baht per URL.
Senior officials under investigation include individuals identified only as Miss A, Mr T, and Inspector N. The findings have been forwarded to Thailand’s Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
Despite these efforts, Thailand remains on the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Watch List for 2025 due to ongoing concerns about intellectual property protection. Still, the USTR has acknowledged Thailand’s progress, particularly reforms in copyright and patent laws and improvements in Collective Management Organization (CMO) operations governing music royalties.
The Thai government is now working closely with the Department of Intellectual Property, the national police, and international stakeholders to root out counterfeit sales and dismantle the transnational crime networks undermining the economy.
Citizens are encouraged to report any suspected sales of counterfeit goods or instances of official corruption. Complaints can be filed by calling 1111, mailing Voice of Thai People, Government House, Bangkok 10300, or emailing [email protected]