30,000 ‘fake’ elephant pants seized in raid on Bangkok warehouse
Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division confiscated a hoard of some 30,000 “elephant pants” that are believed to have been smuggled in.
The pants were found in a raid on a warehouse in Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thien district after officers received a tip-off about contraband goods being stored there. The warehouse is in Tha Kham subdistrict.
Initial evaluation shows the value of the pants to be about 6 million baht.
The officers said they would later track down the owner of the goods and summon him or her for questioning. The owner will also be required to present proof of customs clearance.
Elephant trousers, also known as fishermen’s or Aladdin pants, are a popular souvenir from Thailand. The most common print features elephants, reflecting the significance of these majestic creatures in Thai culture.
These pants in cat and elephant patterns are part of the government’s Thai “soft power” campaign, but cheap imported versions have started flooding markets across the country.
Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has called on the Customs Department to clamp down on the import of cheap pants from China as they may be violating the copyrights of local manufacturers.
