Thai TV Star Blasts Use of Photo for "Thai Hookers"

A photo of TV star Usanee "Nok" Wattana, taken in 2008 has been published on the front of the book "Thai Hookers 101" reports The Malaysian Chronicle.

However Nok asserts that she never granted permission for the photo to be published on the cover of "Thai Hookers 101 - What You Must Know about Sex and Prostitutes before Coming to Thailand".

 Nok yesterday filed a criminal complaint with the Royal Thai Police Technology Crime Suppression Division against the American author, identified only as "Seven".

On filing the complaint, Nok said "I'm not particularly angry about the photo on the cover because this isn't the first time my photo has been abused for commercial purposes. What makes me furious is the text on the cover and the content, which greatly insult Thai women."

There has been no response so far from the book's author.

Although Thailand copyright law protects the rights of the authors of original literary, musical and artistic works including poetry, movies, songs, novels, computer software and architecture. 

People who are the subject of photos normally have an independent intellectual right to the use of their identity and image according to intellectual property rights attorneys at Chaninat & Leeds. Therefore if Nok's assertions are proven, she may have a case against the publisher for infringement of Nok's rights to protect her image in addition to a claim for  defamation, based on the tarnishing of Nok's image.  

Read the full report here