Joe Louis buys counterfeit shoes
I mostly view the counterfeit good industry in Thailand as harmless and hilarious. A walk down Khao San Road in Bangkok is almost a parody of walking down a street in Hong Kong. The same luxury brands for purses, jeans, and sneakers are all being sold, only for 1/10th the price. Despite the assurances of high quality from the salespeople, the shoddiness of the products is obvious. You know what you are getting when you buy a pair of Ray-bans or Birkenstocks for $5. Sure the corporations may be losing out on a sale, but would that woman have actually bought that purse if cost $400? Of course in the case of digital piracy the substitution argument isn’t as strong. Still, it is hard to feel a high level of moral angst over paying a few dollars for a shirt with a corporate logo that I know will disintegrate after three washes.
But there are additional considerations to be weighed when further looking at the underworld of knock offs. First, where does the merchandise come from? Are these QA-monitored factories or child labor intensive sweatshops? The second major concern is where does the money go after purchase. Does the person behind the shabby t-shirt stand pocket the money and buy school supplies for his children? Warnings from manufacturers as well as international groups claim that some of the money may go to crime syndicates and terrorist organizations. Will that play a role in your decision to buy that elephant baby jumper? We each have our own choice.
Other Resources:
Museum of Counterfeit Goods: http://www.tilleke.com/firm/community/museum
