Is it Starbucks Coffee or Starbung Coffee?

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Over the weekend, many Thai newspapers had a picture similar to this one of soldiers protesting in front of the ASTV offices on Phra Athit Road in Bangkok. It wasn’t the fact that soldiers were out protesting that caught my attention. It was the logo of a coffee shop in the top right hand corner. Does that say Starbucks or Starbung Coffee?

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It does in fact say Starbung Coffee. This Muslim vendor was in the news last year as he had received a “cease and desist” notice from the lawyers of Starbucks. Not surprising as the resemblance is very striking. Obviously nothing came out of it as he is still there today. So, if you fancy a “slighty cheaper” coffee, then head down to Phra Athit Road (see map).

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Have you seen any other shop or vendor in Thailand breaking copyright laws? I don’t mean selling fake products as they are everywhere. Have you seen a shop pretending to be something that it isn’t? I once saw a 7-Eleven logo on a mom and pop store in the middle of nowhere!

UPDATE:

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Since I posted this blog, Karl Dahlfred, a friend on Facebook sent me a picture of another Starbucks wannabe. This one is called Star Wars Coffee. This is what he said: “Starwars coffee isn’t even really a shop but it is woman selling coffee, etc. out of the back of a van (permanently parked outside of 7-11)”.

21 thoughts on “Is it Starbucks Coffee or Starbung Coffee?

  • November 10, 2013 at 11:06 am
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    FYI, the lawsuit by SBUX is “alive & well” and recent news reports are that the Starbungs vendor is going to lose alot of money in fines and court costs and award to SBUX for damages.

    These corporations are all-powerful globally and once hid in the shadow of the US but are now so large they pull the strings of the US.

    Reply
  • October 25, 2013 at 9:06 am
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    i am interested in starting/encouraging a thailand boycott of starbucks until they completely and unconditionally drop lawsuit…if anyone interested in action not just posting please contact me at
    [email protected]

    Reply
  • October 23, 2013 at 4:52 pm
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    Just started a boycott Starbucks page on Facebook. Go to Facebook and look for: notostarbucks (one word) I hope this is ok with the admins here. Otherwise please remove :p

    Reply
  • February 14, 2013 at 11:33 pm
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    We’ve got KFV here in Samut Prakan too, obviously a new franchise operation. Have to say for the price of one of KFCs burgers you can get a pretty much a whole chickens worth of “yum gai tawht” made to your preferences. I used to feel guilty about giving it to my cravings for foreign junk food every couple of months or so, now i have this every week instead!

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    • February 15, 2013 at 6:50 am
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      Where exactly in Samut Prakan is this shop?

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      • February 18, 2013 at 2:28 pm
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        Its at the evening market directly accross from BKK Ranch (Long pbet/duck factory) on sukhaphiban 6. Its a stall rather than a shop, selling various cuts of chicken similar to kfc at a fraction of the price. for an extra 5 baht (I think)they will do it as spicy salad. It’s sometimes not there, I’d say open a random 5/7 days a week.

        Reply
  • January 16, 2013 at 12:44 am
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    Here on Samui we have Pizza Hug which my phone can’t help it self from auto correcting to Pizza Hut.

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  • January 14, 2013 at 8:28 pm
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    In bangkachoa there’s a small supermarket calling int self locus, it has the same graphics as tesco lotus.
    Send me your email and I will send some pictures.

    Reply
  • January 14, 2013 at 6:41 pm
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    In Borneo, we have am eatery called subday and the owner told me that Subway comapny has actually written to them and the stall is still there!

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  • January 14, 2013 at 5:31 pm
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    Bung’s drinks taste really good, mostly Thai style drinks. He is a nice and lovely guy. It’s not a shop, just motorbike-turn-out-to-be stall.

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    • January 14, 2013 at 5:34 pm
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      Is he mobile or parked there all the time? I guess that is his regular spot though.

      Reply
  • January 14, 2013 at 3:58 pm
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    The new drink EST looks lot like Pepsi.

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  • January 14, 2013 at 12:18 pm
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    I stopped going to Starbucks last year after a triple whammy
    1) The news of tax avoidance in the UK (and probably elsewhere)
    2) A price hike
    3) Xmas cups

    So, maybe I should give Starbung’s a try.

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  • January 14, 2013 at 11:37 am
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    Starbucks or Starbung: it’s anyway not coffee

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    • January 14, 2013 at 11:50 am
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      Great picture. Can I use it on the blog?

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    • January 14, 2013 at 12:15 pm
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      Must be a chain of them. our local markets is a different place.

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  • January 14, 2013 at 10:41 am
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    At out local markets there is stall selling “KFG” fried chicken, using the same logo and all.

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  • January 14, 2013 at 8:28 am
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    On Surawong there is an Indian Restaurant called ‘Indian Hut’, which bears a striking resemblance to the design of the Pizza Hut logo, but I suppose thats more of a play on branding as they don’t sell crappy, sweet, disgusting, sausage crust things of nightmares that Pizza Hut do.

    Reply

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