Thai man and Malaysian couple charged over MyIPTV4K streaming piracy

A Thai man and a Malaysian couple have been charged with copyright infringement as part of a coordinated multinational crackdown on MyIPTV4K, a grey-market internet protocol television (IPTV) service widely used across Southeast Asia.

The enforcement operation, codenamed Awan Merah, forms part of Interpol's Stop Online Piracy programme (I-SOP), coordinated through the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore.

According to a Thai police statement, cited by Thairath, participating agencies include the Royal Malaysia Police, South Korea's National Police Agency (KNPA), South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), and the United States Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Officials from Thailand's Department of Intellectual Property and representatives of Warner Bros Entertainment were also present during the Chiang Mai operation.

The Thai suspect

The Thai suspect, identified only as Akkharawat, 33, was arrested at a house in tambon Mae Hia, Muang district, Chiang Mai, on Wednesday. Officers subsequently searched a company office in tambon Suthep, also within Muang district.

The search was ordered by Pol Lt Gen Nathasak Chaonasai, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), and carried out by Pol Maj Gen Thatpoom Jaruprat, commander of the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD), Pol Col Puwadet Chulakasevi, superintendent of ECD's Division 1, and Pol Lt Col Nattawut Pom-ngern.

Items seized at the company office included 19 sheets of accounting documents, four sheets of payment records to platform service providers, 22 sheets of email correspondence, one credit card document, three mobile phones, one laptop and one desktop computer.

Akkharawat is alleged to have operated the MyIPTV4K platform without authorisation, distributing pirated films and entertainment content to paying subscribers. He denied all charges. Thai police noted that Akkharawat had been previously arrested on a related copyright infringement charge in 2018.

The Malaysian couple

A Malaysian couple were charged in connection with the same operation following simultaneous raids on three premises in Selangor state. Officers seized computers, laptops and mobile phones used to administer the application.

The couple, identified in the Thai police statement as Leong Chin Wang and his wife Hoo Sheau Lew, are both listed as company directors. Their company's registered activities include website design, graphic services, automation and security systems, and the sale of electrical and electronic products.

Police allege the couple sold access to MyIPTV4K through a popular e-commerce account operating under the name Unimax Pro. Both denied the charges following arrest.

About MyIPTV4K

MyIPTV4K is a grey-market IPTV service primarily targeting users in Malaysia, Singapore and the broader Southeast Asian region. It is delivered via a dedicated Android set-top box or a companion application.

While some content available through the platform is licensed, copyright holders have lodged sustained complaints over the unauthorised streaming of films, premium sports events and other protected material.

The service is marketed through third-party sellers on Lazada Malaysia and Lazada Singapore, with some sellers based in Malaysia or shipping from China.

Warnings to users and broader impact

Pol Lt Gen Nathasak warned the public against using piracy websites, noting that subscribers risk paying membership fees for services that may cease operating at short notice.

He added that piracy causes harm beyond direct revenue loss to rights holders. It undermines creative incentives for artists and content producers, erodes Thailand's credibility with international investors, and damages the country's long-term trade and investment image, he said.

The investigation is ongoing.