Ban on Chinese elephant pants misguided, says Thai manufacturer
Thai manufacturers are unfazed by the influx of cheap Chinese-made elephant pants despite a newly announced ban on their imports.
Concern has risen recently that 30-baht elephant pants from China are undercutting local manufacturers of the product, whose pattern has been registered as a trademark under Thailand’s soft-power campaign.
However, local makers say the cheap Chinese versions appeal to a different customer base and do not threaten the indigenous pants.
On Monday, Commerce Minister and Deputy PM Phumtham Wechayachai said he had instructed the Customs Department to ban Chinese imports of elephant pants pending an investigation by the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP).
The DIP will examine Chinese-made pants already on sale in Thailand to check for infringements of the copyright.
Chiang Mai hosts one of the country’s largest elephant-pants factories, operated by Chinrada Garments and employing hundreds of workers in Doi Saket district.
Chinrada executive Kingkarn Samorn said the issue of China-made elephant pants flooding the Thai market has been known for some time. However, she has not noticed negative impacts from the Chinese influx and says it may have even boosted local garment manufacturers.
Interest from Thai customers in locally produced elephant pants had risen since the flood of China-made versions, she explained. The factory is now getting more inquiries and orders, she added.
Chinrada remains unconcerned as it has confidence that its products differ from the Chinese versions. The Thai-made pants use Thai spun fabric, providing comfort, flow and a distinctive quality that has been maintained for over a decade, Kingkarn said.
"The design aspect is crucial, as our patterns feature elephants standing, rather than lying down. The arrangement of the elephant leg patterns is meticulously aligned to prevent mismatched or distorted designs.
Also, our paired rivets and meticulous stitching ensure durability and longevity of the products, distinguishing them from items that may have only a single rivet.”
While Thailand has copyrighted one elephant-pant design as soft power, the Chinrada factory produces over 200 different designs and colour options that are not protected under the law.
Kingkarn said it was more important to promote all high-quality locally-made elephant pants rather than just one design.
"While elephant pants may feature similar elephant patterns, I believe that Thai products possess unique characteristics.
Therefore, I would like to see genuine and continuous support from the government to promote and elevate elephant pants as a soft power asset for Thailand. This could have positive effects on the country's economy," she said.
