Many publishing professionals in the “civilised west” regard far-flung parts of the world as no-go areas for sales, and a haven for IP piracy, especially where digital is concerned. But as this story shows, IP protection is taken very seriously in at least some parts of SE Asia.
In Thailand the government acted swiftly to protect a novelist’s copyright in neighbouring Cambodia.
The Department of Intellectual Property promptly contacted Cambodia’s Department of Intellectual Property and urged them to delete all of the infringing works from websites and Facebook pages, and order the owners of the sites to publish an apology on their platforms.
The Department is supporting the government’s soft power campaign by helping negotiate the purchase and sale of copyrighted works both in Thailand and overseas. Part of its duty is to protect Thais from theft of copyright and ensure they are properly compensated for their publications.
Read the full story at Thailand’s The Nation.
