BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) police have warned streaming users in Thailand that they risk punishment if downloading pirated movies or sports events, including premium football. This follows a series of raids in Nonthaburi and Bangkok across six major locations which have closed the notorious INWIPTV network. Eleven staff have been arrested, according to a police source.
Although imprisonment is a possibility for investors and workers in the illegal streaming business, ordinary viewers in Thailand paying a subscription as low as US$10 monthly can be fined up to US$5,000. So far DSI has taken a lenient view of punters not actually making a profit, but spokesmen now say that the whole issue has become too serious to ignore.
Sompan Charumilinda, executive vice chairman of True Visions which has campaigning for the raids, said content piracy was costing the country many millions if baht through copyright breaches and unauthorized content copying. Amongst others losing legitimate income were Amazon, Netflix, Apple TV, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros and Discovery.
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, the world’s biggest anti-piracy coalition, said Thai police had promised to look into pubs illegally showing international football matches and condominiums allowing the screening of pirated movies through illegal boxes or satellite dishes. The spokesperson added that as soon as one company was closed down, another would spring up as a replacement.
