Thai coffee vendor defies Starbucks

[Mid]

Thai coffee vendor defies Starbucks
Wed 23 Oct 2013




A Thai coffee vendor is refusing to drop his "Starbung Coffee" logo, defying legal threats by US multinational Starbucks.

Last week, a Thai law firm filed a complaint on behalf of Starbucks Coffee Company against Damrong Maslae, 44, for not complying with an injunction issued in 2012 to remove the "Starbung Coffee" logo from his sidewalk stall in the Thai capital.

The international coffee giant has demanded compensation of 300,000 baht ($A9950), plus 30,000 baht ($A995) a month in legal fees.

An initial hearing has been set for November 4.

"I will fight the case," Damrong told DPA on Wednesday.

"I may lose, because Starbucks is a big company with a lot of money, but I have already won my case in the eyes of society," he said.

"My customers, both Thais and foreigners, have given me a lot of moral support," he said.

"One client gave me 1000 baht ($A33) to help fight my case and yesterday another paid 500 baht for a cup of coffee and told me to keep the change."

Damrong, a Muslim from Krabi province in southern Thailand, insisted that his green-and-white logo, which depicts a Muslim man at its centre with crescent moons on the side, was inspired by Islam, not Starbucks.

au.finance.yahoo.com

[VocalNeal]

Idiots.

What about CoffeeBucks and all the others. Sadly on Street view one cannot look down past Cheap Charlies and see the Indian restaurant with a yellow M. They tried it on with him but he was in Bangkok before ...you know who!

Starbucks should take their ball and go home. I have to admit i don't use Starbucks as there is coffee just as good elsewhere without the vanity and greed.

[Necron99]

Not even similar other than both being green.



One of the many problems with corporations is that they have permanent legal departments who have a budget.
Once they do all the important stuff for the year, they then go and spend the rest on silly shit to justify keeping or increasing the budget next year.

[Lostandfound]

Sue the guy. Typical thai mentality. I can rip off the foreigner because I'm poor thai and farang have big money.

What would CP do if some Somchai starting wrapping up their stringy farmyard chickens in Cp style wrapping at the market (instead of the factory Shiite birds they sell)? Or opened a hotel calling it Dutsi Resort with Dusit style branding?

I imagine Thai Starbucks has a Thai franchisee, so he might well get a cease and desist notice from an off duty cop with a gun, not a lawyer. lets see.

[Gilbert]

I have to admit i don't use Starbucks as there is coffee just as good elsewhere without the vanity and greed.

indeed. Starbucks coffee is basically krud.

I hope one of his farang customer puts up a donate site to help him with his legal costs. After all, he's not exactly going to be rolling in it, and starbucks will destroy him (because thats the type of firm they are).

Sue the guy. Typical thai mentality. I can rip off the foreigner because I'm poor thai and farang have big money.

Way to go - corporate bullies and you side with them.

[tdar]

The only time I use Starbucks is as a pick-up point at Swampy.

"Meet me outside of Starbucks."

[withnallstoke]

There is a slight similarity.

[Necron99]

^ Would a reasonable person infer a connection?

[withnallstoke]

Would a reasonable person infer a connection?

I thimk the odds of arriving at the design independently are a little stretched.

[Gilbert]

^ Would a reasonable person infer a connection?

Would a reasonable person mistake



for




I don't think so. Its a bit of fun, and these big corps should be told to get a sense of humour and stop being a bunch of pricks. They are not going to lose a cent to this bloke.

[withnallstoke]

these big corps should be told to get a sense of humour and stop being a bunch of pricks. They are not going to lose a cent to this bloke.

Too right.

[Gilbert]

I wonder if this bloke will be next?

STAR BOOKS PATTAYA - New & Used Books, Tea & Coffee

[Fluke]

There is a slight similarity.

How long will it be before Starbucks is thrown out of Thailand and replaced by Starbung ?
Carlseberg/Chang Pepsi/EST

[Gilbert]

How long will it be before Starbucks is thrown out of Thailand and replaced by Starbung ?
Carlseberg/Chang Pepsi/EST

Hope so. Regardless of their spin machine, they add nothing to the country, like most places, and their product is shit.

[Bettyboo]

I love Starbucks and other similar coffee shops; somewhere nice to go and relax.

The design is a blatant rip off; circle, font, pics, colours, design elements, design integration, everything - that is absolutely 100% clear.

However, I agree that in this case it's a bit of fun and Starbucks could not make a reasonable case for lost revenue. However, they certainly have a cast iron case of copyright infringement. So, we move to another question, are copyright and patent laws abused by America corporations? I'd say YES, and I'd also suggest that such judicial processes have been set up and manipulated to do just that...

[Fluke]

I love Starbucks and other similar coffee shops; somewhere nice to go and relax.

The design is a blatant rip off; circle, font, pics, colours, design elements, design integration, everything - that is absolutely 100% clear.

However, I agree that in this case it's a bit of fun and Starbucks could not make a reasonable case for lost revenue. However, they certainly have a cast iron case of copyright infringement. So, we move to another question, are copyright and patent laws abused by America corporations? I'd say YES, and I'd also suggest that such judicial processes have been set up and manipulated to do just that...

The Copyright and patents laws are there to protect both the buyer and the seller.
There is no corruption or abuse and the laws are there for a reason , to protect the public and company.
It would be absurd if every coffee seller modeled his shops name and logo on Starbucks

[Mr Lick]

Starbucks should buy him out for a few million baht, (including his logo) and employ him on their marketing team. The man's a genius!

I also suspect his unique iced coffee recipe might be worth a bob or two.

[Fluke]

Starbucks should buy him out for a few million baht, (including his logo) and employ him on their marketing team. The man's a genius!

I also suspect his unique iced coffee recipe might be worth a bob or two.

Its hardly "genius" to copy another persons idea and work .

[Mid]

Starbucks should buy him out for a few million baht, (including his logo) and employ him on their marketing team. The man's a genius!

I also suspect his unique iced coffee recipe might be worth a bob or two.

wondered when that little fact would surface , he's getting promotion no amount of money could buy

[Aberlour]

I love Starbucks and other similar coffee shops; somewhere nice to go and relax.

The design is a blatant rip off; circle, font, pics, colours, design elements, design integration, everything - that is absolutely 100% clear.

However, I agree that in this case it's a bit of fun and Starbucks could not make a reasonable case for lost revenue. However, they certainly have a cast iron case of copyright infringement. So, we move to another question, are copyright and patent laws abused by America corporations? I'd say YES, and I'd also suggest that such judicial processes have been set up and manipulated to do just that...

The Copyright and patents laws are there to protect both the buyer and the seller.
There is no corruption or abuse and the laws are there for a reason , to protect the public and company.
It would be absurd if every coffee seller modeled his shops name and logo on Starbucks

Totally agree. Although it seems petty and vindictive, the laws are there for a reason. If you let one person get away with that, where does it end. The line has to be drawn. People on this thread would be the first to complain if they were the "corporate bully" with a multi billion pound company to protect.

It's so easy to have irrational hatred for big companies when you're poor and scraping a living. No logic in it though.

[Gilbert]

People on this thread would be the first to complain if they were the "corporate bully" with a multi billion pound company to protect.

Aghh diddums.

It's so easy to have irrational hatred for big companies when you're poor and scraping a living. No logic in it though.

Actually, it is more common for the poor and scraping a living to idolise these firms. Do you have an iPhone by any chance?

[Mr Lick]

Yep, the multi-billion pound company trying to steamroller a roadside market stall who's owner probably makes just enough money a day to keep his wife and kids.

Not to mention that Starbucks have been avoiding paying corporation tax in the UK for several years. Gotta say my heart bleeds for them.

[callsign7o4]

Reminds me of this Apple thing, they sued small grocery shop in Poland for having an apple-lookalike logo. Did the poor bastard go prison and die? I do support IP rights, but there are limits. Sometimes it appears like madness to me when a kid doing a torrent is sentenced for more severe penalty than kid shooting his mates.

[Gerbil]

It's all about Trademark protection.

If you are aware of a potential infringement of your trademark and you do not actively seek to stop that infringement, you are at risk of losing the rights to your trademark.

This is nothing to do with "Big Guys vs Little Guys".

[Albert Shagnastier]

If you lay them over each other, use a 49.5 degree viewing angle, and stick the opacity to 50%, you see the smiling chap tweaking a nipple with one hand, and pouring chocolate sauce on the opposing nipple with the other.

Fvck the lawsuit - let's slam a fatwa on this mofo.