The Tilleke & Gibbins Museum
of Counterfeit Goods was established in 1989 at the firm's
Bangkok, Thailand office. However, long before that time,
the firm had already in hand the main prerequisites to start
a museum in the form of a large volume of counterfeit and
pirated goods accumulated over the years from raids conducted
on behalf of the firm's clients. The goods, which were used
as evidence in court, were then stashed away in boxes, taking
up valuable storage space and serving no purpose whatsoever.
With the collection growing rapidly, it became apparent
that a way should be found which would take advantage of
the counterfeit goods and turn them from the liability they
were posing to a useful purpose.
The idea of creating a museum took
root when Tilleke & Gibbins senior partner David Lyman
visited the offices of Anthony R. Gurka, principal partner
of the Hong Kong investigative firm then called Commercial
Trademark Services (CTS). Through Mr. Gurka's efforts, beginning
in the early 80s, CTS had successfully built up an internal
collection of infringing goods. Upon seeing the CTS collection,
it occurred to Mr. Lyman that the counterfeit goods held
at Tilleke & Gibbins could very well prove useful as
educational tools if properly displayed and accessible for
public viewing. Thus inspired, Mr. Lyman worked with members
of the firm's Intellectual Property Department and the Tilleke
& Gibbins Museum of Counterfeit Goods came into existence.
At the outset, the collection consisted
of approximately 100 items which were separated into four
categories: clothing, leather goods, electronics and toiletries.
However, with new items gathered on a continuing basis from
raids overseen by the firm, plus samples of the genuine goods
which the firm obtains, the collection has rapidly grown.
At present, the museum has approximately fifteen hundred pieces
of infringing trademark and copyrighted goods, making it the
largest one of its kind in Thailand. The collection now covers
more than 20 categories of goods which, in addition to the
four mentioned above, include footwear, perfumes, watches,
household appliances and equipment, sound systems, car and
machine parts, decorative ornaments, foods, drugs, alcohol,
chemical products and stationery.
The Museum of Counterfeit Goods has
received much interest, and at least four major foreign television
broadcasting companies (CNN, BBC, Australian and Danish National
Television) have featured the museum in their documentaries
concerning the counterfeit situation in Thailand. Many local
and international newspapers and magazines have also published
articles on the Tilleke & Gibbins museum. The U.S. based
Journal of Commerce, for example, has featured the museum
on its front page.
Intellectual property officials of
the Pacific Rim countries have visited the museum as part
of a training course organized by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) and the Department of Technical and Economic
Cooperation of Thailand. Not only is the museum attracting
those involved in the intellectual property field, but it
is also well frequented by Thai and foreign police, Interpol
officers, judges, government officials, law students, clients
and other individuals from the private sector.
As foreseen, the display of counterfeit
goods alongside their genuine counterparts has proven to
be of great educational value, which allows the viewer not
only an interesting and unforgettable hands on learning
experience but also demonstrates the extent and consequences
of the counterfeiting of legitimate goods.
For
more information, contact:
TILLEKE
& GIBBINS INTERNATIONAL LTD.
Tilleke
& Gibbins Building
64/1 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Road
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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International
Dialing |
Local
Dialing |
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Tel:
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+66
2263 7700 |
0
2263 7700 |
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+66
2254 2640 |
0 2254 2640 |
|
+66
2652 2822 thru 2826 |
0
2652 2822 thru 2826 |
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Fax:
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+66
2263 7710 |
0
2263 7710 |
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+66
2652 1833 & 1834 |
0
2652 1833 & 1834 |
|
|
+66 2401 0034 & 0035 (Overseas
Only) |
|
E-mail:
postmaster@tillekeandgibbins.com
