Almost everyone nowadays is familiar with the words “intellectual property” and “patents.” This is largely because intellectual property (IP) is a vitally important part of developing and maintaining a profitable business.Having recognized the importance of IP protection, you also need to understand the types of protection you can obtain and the benefits of each. There are several types of IP—including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets—each of which offers different legal rights and protections.

The importance of protecting and enforcing your intellectual property (IP) rights can never be stressed enough. Without taking precautions, your business’s intellectual assets are more vulnerable to the threats of piracy, counterfeiting, and theft. Not only does this damage the growth and development of your business, but it poses serious health and safety risks to the public. Therefore, it is extremely important for business owners to be aware of the specific IP issues in every country in which they operate.

Pharmaceutical marketing is the term used to describe the business of promoting the sale of drugs or medicine. Due to the nature of pharmaceuticals and the potential impact that marketing could have on both patients and the health care profession, many countries have restrictions in place that limit advertising by pharmaceutical companies. One country that heavily regulates such practices is Vietnam; not only does it regulate advertisements in general, but it has a number of laws that specifically target advertisements in the health care sector.

In Thailand, individuals or entities that are eligible to hold ownership of land under the Land Code can acquire it by means of purchase, hire-purchase, gift, or inheritance. But there is one more way to obtain ownership of landed property, which does not require consent from the previous owner: adverse possession, colloquially known as “squatters’ rights.”

As part of Thailand’s efforts to join the Madrid Protocol by 2015, on March 1, 2013, the Thai Trademark Office announced the implementation of the 10th edition of the Nice Classification of Goods and Services for all new applications and renewals submitted after this date.

Secured transactions refer to transactions secured by collateral, which guarantees the fulfilment of an obligation to repay loans. Currently, Thailand recognises only a limited class of security that can be put up as collateral, effectively limiting the potential for greater credit availability in the economy. This article examines the types of security available under other jurisdictions as well as registration and common enforcement mechanisms with an eye towards potential use in Thailand.

James Evans, a senior consultant with the Tilleke & Gibbins intellectual property group and chair of the intellectual property committee of the European ASEAN Business Centre in Thailand (EABC), has authored a booklet that aims to deliver readers a concise and informative overview of intellectual property and trade-related issues in Thailand. James covers a broad spectrum of topics and illustrates with great accessibility the basic steps to commercialize intellectual property in Thailand. The guidebook is comprised of six chapters, each of which answers key questions in this area.

Darani Vachanavuttivong and Suebsiri Taweepon of Tilleke & Gibbins have contributed the Thailand chapter to the recently published book, International Copyright Law: A Practical Global Guide. The book reflects on the origins of copyright law and the path on which it is headed. With rapid advances in technology, copyright has expanded to become a semi-harmonized body of law with international reach. This directly influences how many types of business operate and how they use and protect rights around the world.