While I have "high speed" Internet access in Thailand, being back in the States reminds me of just how slow it is there. Sometimes it takes thirty or more minutes to upload a dozen or so photos to Flickr. It took only a couple of minutes here. Sometimes I jokingly refer to it as "Thai speed" Internet.
I also appreciate being able to watch TV shows on hulu.com. For those of you not in the know, you can watch TV shows on hulu. Unfortunately, it is blocked outside the U.S. When I try to access it in Thailand, I get a message saying that it is unavailable in my country. I could go to the trouble of getting a proxy server to hide my IP address and possibly gain access to the show, but with the slow connection speed, I don't think that it is worth the effort.
After six years here in Thailand, we moved back to the U.S. Instead of returning to Ohio, we settled into California.
Showing posts with label U.S.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S.. Show all posts
Friday, June 18, 2010
Monday, April 28, 2008
Thailand on U.S. Priority Watch List
Thailand was one of nine countries on the U.S. priority watch lit for its failure to protect the intellectual property rights of U.S. companies. Countries such as China, Russia and India also made the list.
Thais are a bit upset at being included on the list. Part of the reason for the inclusion is the Thai government's compulsory license of pharmaceutical drugs. While Thailand's desire to ensure that modern medical treatments are available to its rather poor population, that is only part of the story.
Software and movie piracy is rampant in Thailand. A Bangkok Post article quoted a government offical as stating that "[o]ver the past year, 7,000 intellectual property violators faced legal action, and 6.7 million fake products were destroyed in a show (emphasis added) of Thailand's sincerity in tackling the problem.
The problem is that this "show" of sincerity is just that, a show. I know of at least 3 or 4 malls where I could buy pirated software and movies if I was so inclined. I'm not talking about some dark alley where I have to utter a password to gain admittance. I mean malls that have dozens of vendors of pirated wares. This doesn't even account for the place that sell tee shirts, watches and other goods that violate a countries intellectual property rights. And if I and any tourist who enters the country know where to find these places, then the Thai authorities certainly do. They exist with the implicit blessing of the Thai government.
Do I want the Thai government to eagerly crack down on these violators? Actually, I really don't care. Just don't cry about being included on a priority watch list. In Thailand, perhaps a "show" of cracking down will save face and allow everyone to pretend that everything is okay. While this "fig leaf" might suffice in Thailand, it won't in the U.S.
Thais are a bit upset at being included on the list. Part of the reason for the inclusion is the Thai government's compulsory license of pharmaceutical drugs. While Thailand's desire to ensure that modern medical treatments are available to its rather poor population, that is only part of the story.
Software and movie piracy is rampant in Thailand. A Bangkok Post article quoted a government offical as stating that "[o]ver the past year, 7,000 intellectual property violators faced legal action, and 6.7 million fake products were destroyed in a show (emphasis added) of Thailand's sincerity in tackling the problem.
The problem is that this "show" of sincerity is just that, a show. I know of at least 3 or 4 malls where I could buy pirated software and movies if I was so inclined. I'm not talking about some dark alley where I have to utter a password to gain admittance. I mean malls that have dozens of vendors of pirated wares. This doesn't even account for the place that sell tee shirts, watches and other goods that violate a countries intellectual property rights. And if I and any tourist who enters the country know where to find these places, then the Thai authorities certainly do. They exist with the implicit blessing of the Thai government.
Do I want the Thai government to eagerly crack down on these violators? Actually, I really don't care. Just don't cry about being included on a priority watch list. In Thailand, perhaps a "show" of cracking down will save face and allow everyone to pretend that everything is okay. While this "fig leaf" might suffice in Thailand, it won't in the U.S.
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