Starbucks is suing a Bangkok coffee maker over use of its logo Bloomberg reported.
"My logo is halal and has a moon and a star, and is green for the colour of Islam," coffee maker Damrong Maslae told Bloomberg better known by customers as Bung. "Starbucks has insisted I take out the green and the words star and coffee. I can't do that."
The logo depicts a man wearing a cap, and giving the piece sign. Maslae who is known to his customers as Bung, calls his shop Starbung. The owner also operates the shop with his brother Damras.
"I roast and mix my own recipe. English tourists have become friends with me and love my coffee," he told Bloomberg. "Every time they come to Bangkok, they visit and buy coffee from me. If they were to read about this drama with Starbucks, they would laugh their heads off."
According to Bloomberg, one of Maslae's friends' made the logo to represent his religion of Islam, and not copy Starbuck's logo.
Starbucks claims the green and white, "Starbung" logo Maslae uses, encroaches on the sign's intellectual property right.
The company put in a "cease and desist letter" demanding the brothers not use the logo anymore. Since this time, the company has entered a trademark violation complaint.
The coffee chain has also sent a petition to the International trade and central intellectual property court and requested the brothers be charged their wrong doing Bloomberg reported.
The company wants 300,000 baht, 7.5 percent annual interest, along with monthly installments of 30,000 baht to last until the brothers stop running their coffee shop.
The company is also concerned that customers will believe they are buying Starbucks Coffee rather than Starbung.
Maslae's product is served Thai style for 30 baht in Thailand currency in Pra Athit, Bangkok.
