Music Police

[DSB]

[Mod Edit] Name removed asked me to copy his e-mail from the real music police from Bangkok.



Dear Khun [Mod Edit] Name removed,



MPC’s music license provides business owner who use all kind of international song for commercial purpose. So, the business could apply the license for using the music through internet radio, including CD,DVD, MP3 music as well as play on the computer. In this case, the business need an additional license as reproduction license which provides you to download music to computer. Please check our tariff rate at http://www.mpcmusic.co.th/en/index.php?menu=tariff



Actually, our license for the communication to public (for international music), the copyright fee that we collect will be charged as 5,350 baht per year (included Vat 7%). So, if you play just only the music through internet radio, you need to pay for 1 license as the communication to public. Moreover, there is another one License, which is additional license; Reproduction License. This is additional one, you should apply if you make a copy or download music to your computer, hard drive, external drive, Thrumdrive, etc. this license will be charge as 5,350 baht per year.



First of all, please allow me to give you some information about the scam people, who may claim the right to collect the royalty fee from you. Why we need to let you know because there are many client from Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket, paid a lot of money to them.



MPC is a non-profit registered company set-up to collect public performance royalty fee for the use of international musical and sound recording works. We are looking after both copyrighted musical works for song writers, composers as well as sound recording works for major labels like Sony Music, EMI, Universal Music and Warner Music. We have more than 800,000 songs declared and registered legally abiding to the law and regulation of the Ministry of Commerce. We are the first and longest collecting society set up in Thailand. We never ever use harsh legal approach demanding our future-to-be customers to pay us for the use of our songs. We always negotiate the fee on the table, as our usual business practice, with our customers. We are proud that we are well recognized and endorsed by the Department of Intellectual Property as a Desired Society. We work closely with the DIP in trying to regulate the management of and unify the collecting society in Thailand. Currently, there are 32 collecting companies established in Thailand. The fact is we have the most music collecting society in the world.





You can notice that when these people step in your premise or their target's place, they always claim that the shop uses international music, hence obliges to pay royalty fee. If only you ask "What name of the song, the artist or the music label that infringing their copyright?", you will find out that they cannot give you the answer, they simply say that "we will talk it later when we are at the police station." You will also notice that, the pity is, the Police Officers are part of their team. It is ashamed that those police officers are hungry for spare money thrown by them, thus shut their both eyes and hurt innocent and ordinary people like you and me.



As mentioned earlier, DIP is trying to fix the thing, but once it is related to the fundamental problem of this country - corruption, it is not easy and take time. The only way we can do is, stand up and fight back. Give them refusal, don't accept any accusation, bail yourself out for the fight, don't sign in any paper unless get consulted with your lawyer or DIP. DIP can be reached at http://www.ipthailand.go.th/ or Copyright Office, DIP at 02-547-4633-34. We can be of your assistance by giving you more understanding on Thai Copyright Law. Simply write to us what you want to know about the law though our email: info@mpcmusic.co.th or talk to me at 02 641-5211-3.

As attachment is warning information from DIP (Intellectual Property Department, Ministry of Commerce)—Both English and Thai language Version.

For the proceeding step to purchase our license, you need to provide me more information as following;

The name of Company……

The name of restaurant……

Address……………………

Contact person : …………………..

Tel / Fax……………………

E-mail ;

Phone: ………………………

[DSB]

Here is the warning information given, if you want a copy in Thia, then see [edited], or PM myself

DIP News

The Department of Intellectual Property received many complaints from the entrepreneurs about the doings of a group of people that claimed a right to take legal action against unlicensed usage of international repertoire in many famous travelling spot, such as, Pattaya, Phuket etc. These people always came in a team not less than 5 persons and claimed that they were authorized from the international music copyright owners and tried to investigate the premises, which were pub / bar that use international music. Their intention was to ask for music copyright royalty fee and in case that the entrepreneur refused to pay, they would take the entrepreneur to the police station and petition for high compromise fee, in which this activity caused so much trouble to entrepreneurs.

The DIP would like to declare to the entrepreneurs to be aware of this case and inquire the entrepreneur to prepare as the following:
1. Ask for an evidence that whether these persons had already file a complaint to the police or not, and what charge it is.
2. Ask for evidence that the person who files charge is the duly authorized person by checking that whether the Power of Attorney (POA) allows them to file charge and verify that whether the POA is expired. In case that it is the sub-authorization, check that the authorization has a complete flow (all the persons in the sub-authorization are duly authorized.) And what song that the right indicates.
3. Ask for a certain name of song and music label that is infringing the copyright.
4. There must be a police officer taking part in the apprehension and accusation.
5. Record the sound, motion picture and action of the claimant, the person that takes part in the apprehension and also the officials.

In case that there are no such aforementioned evidence, Please file charge to the local police officers to validate the claimant evidence. Please also examine the information on royalty fee collection notification declared by the Central Committee on Price and Service in website http://www.ipthailand.go.th before making any compromise with the claimant.

The information of the collecting management organization who manages the international repertoires that registered with the Central Committee on Price and Service as of March 2012 are 4 organizations as the following:

1. MPC Music Co., Ltd.: 800,000 repertoires
2. RKT Publishing Co., Ltd.: 106 repertoires
3. IP Management Co., Ltd.: 58 repertoires
4. KT Publishing Co., Ltd.: 10 repertoires

In case that the entrepreneur wish to use international repertoire in their course of business and desire to apply for licence for legal usage of international music in order not to infringing the copyright and prevent yourself from the apprehension in such case, please contact the Copyright Office, call 02-547-4633 and 02-547-4634

[MrPlum]

I have been in both a restaurant and bar when these scam merchants arrived. They are slick and intimidating, videoing everything and pretending they are official. If I recall correctly they demanded 40,000 thb?

Glad you published this info. Forewarned is forearmed but would you be allowed to video or record what happens at a Police Station? Has anyone been through this?

[advocate]

Rumour has it that they tried to pick on the wrong falang at a local estalishment in HH.
A very large physical guy, he responded by bodily tossing a couple of them out onto the street on their asses. The others got the message and left, or they would have been next.

[usual suspect]

It is all a big minefield this licence,certificate,inspection, confiscation etc. They (whoever 'they' claim to be) swoop in down the Bar-Sois, backed by local (paid-off) MIB, & demand to see your certificates etc. You know full well your bar with have the 'wrong one' on the wall, and it will be X amount of Baht for the licence/cert. they say you must have..or your music system is confiscated. THEN about a month later, again escorted by local MIB..another 'Music Society' officer will swoop in & demand the same..WTF!
The bar-owners are hand-tied here somewhat because IF they refuse or make a big song & dance about this the MIB has to use his powers or lose face. If the latter happens then the bar-owner knows full well problems will follow..be it the next day, next month or when drinks-licence renewal comes round.
Some bars in town have much more clout than others when dealing with the MIB..you'll see this when the music is banging out & the MIB + 'Sony' officers walk on past.. T.I.T.

[usual suspect]

Oh, & NOW is the time they will be coming round the bars..They do this every year just before High-Season..within the next month we may read again on here instances like a couple of years ago when bar owners in Poolsuk Plaza actually threw CDs at the 'Sony people' in anger, & skimmed CDs through the air at them as they left!

[Takiap]

Reading through this thread is a great reminder to myself why I would never be able to own/run a business in LOS. I simply don't don't have the patience. Maybe something to do with my origins.