The IP upside of Thailand's military coup

IP Komodo is the last lizard to praise a military takeover. However the Thai military government is getting active in border IP protection all of a sudden. Thai soldiers arrested 16 Cambodian border traders last week for smuggling counterfeit apparel and footwear into Thailand. It took place at the Poipet City border crossing on Saturday which is near the Rong Kluea border market in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province. A total of 21 carts of secondhand clothes hid the fakes.  

This led to a protest at the border on the Cambodian side. It is probable that the 16 traders will be released and a deal struck for the traders association to stop importing fake goods.

The real IP story is that Thailand’s military government has been active against fake trademarked goods since they seized power in May. They set up a second Poipet military checkpoint to inspect goods entering Thailand away from the main border crossing. So this is in addition to customs checks. The military are getting active to enforce Thai laws. Their reasoning is that the military takeover was on the basis of widespread government corruption. Improving enforcement seems to be part of that.