The issue of copyrights caused a stir in Thailand.

A government move to toughen Thailand’s copyright protection, pushed under American pressure, ran into a political buzz saw in Parliament this week. The dispute has also split the ruling coalition, with an official of the dominant Democrat Party calling for a delay “until the country is in the position to compete with other countries in the field of technology.” The wording of the proposed amendment to Thailand’s 1978 copyright law has not been made public, but press accounts say it would provide copyright protection for video and music cassettes. It would not apply to computer software and pharmaceuticals.