Police yesterday show some of the 30,000 pirated textbooks worth more than Bt1.8 million that were seized from Chiang Kwan district in Roi Et province earlier this week.

Anyone who gives the authorities a useful tip-off about pirated textbooks can claim up to Bt500,000 as a reward.

"If you see or know something about the pirated-textbook networks, please tell us," said Jitnara Nawarat, an official from the Business Organisation of the Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Education Personnel, the copyright holder, at a press conference yesterday.

Pirated textbooks are currently available in many shops across the Northeast. Police have already made many arrests this month.

In the latest case, Sawas Singthawat and his wife, Samorn, were nabbed in Roi Et's Chiang Kwan district for stocking 30,000 pirated textbooks in their house. The pirated copies are worth more than Bt1.8 million.

"Aside from the fact that pirated copies cause financial damage, they also affect the health of children," Pol Maj-General Wisut Wanichbut said yesterday.

He said pirated textbooks often failed to use eye-friendly paper and the low-quality printing made the text unclear. "The ink used is also harmful," Wisut added.

He said anyone involved in the sale of pirated textbooks faced up to four years in jail and/or a maximum fine of Bt800,000.

Jitnara said seized pirated textbooks would be divided into two categories after the related criminal cases had been decided in court.

"Those of poor quality will be destroyed, while those with acceptable quality will be given to needy libraries and schools."

Daily Xpress