Ministry of Commerce to suppress illegal copyright agents

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Deputy Commerce Minister Weerasak Wangsuphakijkosol, speaks to the 15-year-old girl student who was falsely accused of copyright piracy.
Deputy Commerce Minister Weerasak Wangsuphakijkosol, speaks to the 15-year-old girl student who was falsely accused of copyright piracy.

Nakhon Ratchasima – Deputy Commerce Minister Weerasak Wangsuphakijkosol, has visited Nakhon Ratchasima province and met with the 15-year-old girl student who had made a Krathong vessel in the style of Rilakkuma bear and was falsely accused of copyright piracy. He pledged to suppress the activities of illegal copyright agents and extortionists.

The deputy commerce minister said he had been informed of the event in which the girl had been falsely charged with the piracy of the copyrighted cartoon character and visited the innocent girl who had been intimidated by an alleged extortionist; he offered her moral support. Mr Wirasak who is in charge of the Department of Intellectual Property said the event will become a case study so that legal loopholes are plugged, to keep illegal copyright agents from extorting money from innocent people.

The Department of Intellectual Property has been instructed to take prompt action to deal with such ’copyright agents’ and issue a clarification of copyrighted cartoon characters to prevent unlawful arrests. The deputy commerce minister said no children or youths should be faced with such legal action, when they are desperate to help their family make a little extra income. He said adults should encourage children to make Krathong vessels with original cartoon characters or products.