A young woman was dismayed that her photo was, without her permission, used as a promotion for a new type of ticket that customers can have their photo printed on.
In August, the young woman, whose name not mentioned, went to Major Cineplex at Emquartier and paid an extra THB40 to have her photo printed on her movie ticket. It is one of the theater’s offerings that customers can choose to upload their photos on the app and get a plastic ticket with their photo instead of a plain black-and-white paper ticket.
Recently, the girl discovered that the cinema had put her uploaded photo on the front of the camera booth as a promotional advertisement to encourage other customers to use the photo ticket service. Dismayed, she posted the story on Pantip and asked netizens what she should do.
Photo: Pantip
While members of the web board said that she should report it to the police, some suggested she contact the manager of the theater to settle the matter instead of going to court, which would cost her more time and money.
Daily News reported that Ronnarong Kaewpet, a lawyer who contributes to the famous Facebook page “Tanai Khu Jai,” responded to the viral story with the comment that Major Cineplex is violating the customer’s rights. According to Civil and Commercial Code, the lawyer said that the girl can sue the theater for compensatory damages because the theater publicized her photo without her consent, which puts her at risk for humiliation.
He also suggested that using another person’s picture commercially violates the Copyright Act. The staff members who were responsible, and the owner of the theater, could face 6 months to 4 years of imprisonment and a fine of THB100,000 – 400,000.
However, they may not need to go to court if they contact the customer to apologize her and offer compensation, suggested the online lawyer.
