BANGKOK, THAILAND – The MBK Centre was identified in a new USTR report as Thailand’s only physical market where counterfeit branded goods continued to be traded.
U.S. report puts MBK on the list
The Office of the United States Trade Representative released its 2025 “Notorious Markets” report on Tuesday, naming 37 online markets and 32 physical markets in 19 countries, including the MBK Centre. The document described the mall as a popular tourist destination where concerns over fake goods had persisted for years.
Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property viewed the listing as a warning signal. At the same time, it interpreted the focus on a single physical market as a sign that the online trade in counterfeit products appeared to be better under control.
What the report said was sold at MBK
According to sources close to the investigations, counterfeit items had recently reappeared at temporary stalls on higher floors. These included imitations of luxury handbags, clothing, watches and shoes.
Authorities considered the mix of constantly changing retail spaces and hard-to-track small vendors to be a key reason why counterfeit goods repeatedly returned after inspections. This shifting stall model made sustained enforcement inside the shopping centre more difficult.
Raids, seizures and awareness efforts
The report said Thai enforcement agencies had carried out large-scale raids and seized thousands of counterfeit items. These operations targeted vendors suspected of violating intellectual property laws inside the complex.
In addition, government bodies and the mall’s management organised awareness campaigns. These were intended to highlight the damage caused by counterfeit goods to consumers and legitimate traders.
MBK management terminates leases
The management of the MBK Centre terminated leases with tenants who had been arrested for infringing intellectual property rights. Several such vendors were removed from the mall following enforcement actions.
At the same time, current indications suggested that sales had not only shifted from permanent shops, but also increasingly moved to short-term stall models that were harder to monitor. This development raised new challenges for both mall operators and enforcement authorities.
Why Thailand fared better on online trade
Oramon Sapthaveetham, director-general at the Department of Intellectual Property, also described the report as good news because Thailand was not listed as a country with a still robust online market for counterfeit branded goods. She linked this to intensified efforts to secure agreements with major platforms to protect intellectual property rights.
According to Oramon, these platforms now consistently rejected the online sale of fake products. This stance was seen as a central factor in reducing the visibility of counterfeit goods on major e-commerce channels.
Authorities aim to be removed from future lists
Oramon said the MBK management was cooperating with her department in taking action against vendors who secretly sold counterfeit goods, and several had already been removed from the centre. She stressed that this cooperation formed part of a broader national strategy against brand piracy.
“We are in close contact with the USTR and regularly share information in order to strengthen the fight against counterfeits, with the goal that Thailand will be completely removed from the next report.”
said Oramon Sapthaveetham, director-general of the Department of Intellectual Property.