Porntip Wattanapholmongkol, managing director of Wise Winner Co Ltd, an authorised distributor and manufacturer of selected products by English sportswear company Umbro, said the more the excitement grew, the more money pirate sportswear companies would look to make.

Porntip said many counterfeiters were able to closely copy the design and even the fabrics of the real thing. But because they are not authorised and do not have the same overheads, they can charge far less for their goods.

An authentic T-shirt, she said, complete with a national-team graphic, cost Bt2,790, while fakes sold for as little as Bt200 to Bt400, so consumers who were not worried about authenticity would go for the cheaper option.

"People don't understand why sportswear manufacturers have to charge the prices they do," said Porntip.

She said global brands carried huge overheads, because of the high quality of their products, design costs, massive payrolls and sponsorship agreements.

In an attempt to curb the activities of pirates, many international sportswear companies have sent representatives to Thailand, which ranks alongside China and Hong Kong as one of the world's counterfeiting hubs.

Porntip said her company worked hard to protect Umbro from counterfeiters by conducting rigorous checks of stock released from its factory.

In addition, the company offers consumers an alternative to counterfeit goods with a range of low-priced products. She said selected T-shirts sold for as little as Bt295 to Bt790 yet retained the high quality for which Umbro is known.

Porntip also believes that for certain groups of consumers, the authenticity of their favourite brand is far more important than the price.

Meanwhile, Wise Winner is currently in negotiations with Umbro to expand its authorised product range.

The company hopes to add Umbro shoes to its current offering of clothing and caps.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation