The market is close to the eastern Thai town of Aranyaprathet. Everything from Lacoste and Manchester United shirts to Cath Kidston handbags and Levi’s jeans can be found on stalls in its labyrinthine alleyways. The deadline to eradicate the sale of the counterfeit items follows a riot at Rong Klua last week.
The riot came after Department of Special Investigation officers confiscated fake items from several vendors. An estimated 400 Cambodian traders attacked the officers and overturned vehicles. Footage of the incident went viral and Thai authorities vowed to bring the rioters to justice. Sa Kaeo police officers will run regular inspections at Rong Klua to ensure vendors are not still selling fake products.
The plan is to then make a final assessment in April. The officials also said they would collaborate with their Cambodian peers on urging the concerned stallholders to sell products that did not infringe on copyrights. They noted that there were myriad other items on sale at Rong Klua and traders who sold these seemed to make a good living.
Tourists travelling between Bangkok, Aranyaprathet and Cambodia can buy their tickets from 12GO ASIA.
Deadline for Thai market to stop sale of fake designer goods
News in Asia
A popular market on the Thai side of the country’s border with Cambodia has been given two months to remove fake brand-name products from its stalls. The deadline for Rong Klua Market to end the sale of knock-off items was decided on at a meeting of government officials in Sa Kaeo Province.