Counterfeit products damage the Thai economy. Not only do they hamper public confidence in the quality of goods imported from overseas, but they pose a significant risk to the health and wellbeing of consumers.

In response to this problem, various government agencies in Thailand have been specifically tasked with protecting Thai consumers from the detrimental effects of counterfeit products. Organizations such as the Royal Thai Customs Bureau, the Royal Thai Police, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), and the Department of Intellectual Property, bear this responsibility, acting under a mandate to suppress fake goods.

On June 17, 24, and 26, 2014, Tilleke & Gibbins and around a dozen intellectual property rights owners joined together to provide product identification training to Thai government agencies in Chiangmai (Northern Thailand), Phuket (Southern Thailand), and Pattaya (Eastern Thailand). A total of 179 enforcement officers attended these events.

Overall, the training aimed to:

• Raise public awareness in each region of the risks associated with selling and purchasing counterfeit products.
• Raise government officers’ awareness and educate them on how to take aggressive action against counterfeit products.
• Create and strengthen our relationships with Customs, the Police, and the DSI, which are on the front line of IP enforcement efforts.
• Express appreciation to each government official and to congratulate them on successful seizures and improvements in their procedures in recent years.
• Inform the officers about whom they should contact for any inquiry regarding particular brands or whenever they find suspected counterfeit products.
• Educate the officers on product inspection to better their capabilities in identifying fake goods.

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