Trio caught in copyright sport case

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has arrested two British men and a Thai woman for alleged illegal transmission of English Premier League football to viewers in countries in Asia and Europe.

They are accused of causing damage worth more than 100 million baht to the holders of the broadcast rights. The allegations involve the website 365sport.tv and potentially expat.tv in Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam and Europe.

DSI deputy chief Suriya Singhakamol said yesterday Daryl William Lloyd, 39, William John Robinson, 35, and Supatra Raksasat, 33, were arrested during raids on several locations.

The targets included a house in Nonthaburi, a condominium in Huai Khwang, a house in Samut Prakan’s Bang Phli district, Kirz Co at the Queen Siritkit Convention Centre on Ratchadaphisek Road in Klong Toey, and Proimage Engineering and Communication Co on Charoen Krung Road in Bang Rak district.

Authorities seized nine computer servers, nine computers, 49 set-top boxes and three mobile phones as evidence.

Pol Maj Suriya said the raids followed a complaint by Football Association Premier League Limited, the holder of the EPL football broadcast rights, about the illegal transmission of football matches on the website 365sport.tv.

The illegal operators had collected monthly fees from viewers, he said. This would be a violation of the Copyright Act and the Computer Crime Act. Damages were claimed to be about 100 million baht.

Pol Maj Suriya said other websites were also suspected of being involved in the illegal transmissions, including Thaiexpat.tv, Hkexpat.tv, Indoexpat. tv, Vietexpat.tv, and Euroexpat.tv.

Investigators from the DSI’s cyber technology and cyber crime bureau learned the website 365sport.tv used computer servers in Thailand as a base for illegal transmissions to several countries in Asia and Europe.

Pol Maj Suriya said the DSI was treating the alleged crime as a special case.