Rong Kluea vendors must knock off selling fakes by April

Rong Kluea vendors must knock off selling fakes by April

A vendor looks at her mobile phone while waiting for customers to visit her bag shop at Rong Kluea market on Sept 22. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
A vendor looks at her mobile phone while waiting for customers to visit her bag shop at Rong Kluea market on Sept 22. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

SA KAEO — All counterfeit goods will be wiped out of Rong Kluea market by April, the provincial governor pledged on Tuesday, warning defiant vendors of legal action.

Governor Pakarathorn Thienchai said officials will continue to crack down on fake products sold at the border market to give all illegally produced goods no safe haven by April.

"The short-term plan is to keep putting pressure on illegal trade by Sa Kaeo officials," he said after a meeting with representatives from the Department of Special Investigation and those in charge of security, revenue, immigration and custom.

Known as a shopping paradise for knockoff brand-name goods, the market in Aranyaprathet district is under pressure to change its ways.

The anti-piracy campaign by the DSI ran into trouble on Wednesday when its officers and police were attacked by vendors while seizing fake perfumes and other items.

The DSI believes that there were prominent figures behind attempts to block law enforcement at the market.

Three Cambodian vendors were arrested and jailed by the provincial court. One was bailed.

About 20,000 Cambodians cross the border from Poipet town in Banteay Meanchey province to Rong Kluea everyday to work as sellers or porters.

The governor said Sa Kaeo will work with the Cambodian province to alert Khmer traders that they have until April to halt illegal trading by shifting to other products. Violators will face legal action from authorities after that, he added.

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