Officials Raid Counterfeit Textbook Shops
13 December 2012
Government officials from the Education Ministry and the Economic Crime Division police have started to crack down on pirated textbooks, the Bangkok Post reports.
In a joint operation in early May, officials raided two book and stationery shops in Nong Khai province, near the border with Laos, the newspaper said. Officials reportedly seized 1,065 pirated textbooks in Pak Khat district and a further 41 pirated books in Phon Phisai district.
Education minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat told the newspaper that the textbooks, which are copyrighted by the Basic Education Commission and the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, covered science, mathematics and Thai. The newspaper reported that the pirated books are “made from low-quality paper with inferior printing, which makes it difficult for students to read.”
The raids follow on the heels of what officials said were low orders for new books in many provinces.