Geographical Indications (GIs) are signs used on products which have a specific geographical origin and characteristics or a reputation that are due to factors that are indigenous to that origin, such as nature and people.In Indonesia, numerous products have been registered as GIs. Coconut sugar, coffee, furniture, fruits, tobacco, honey, herbs, horse milk, patchouli oil, rice, vegetables, and white pepper are among just a few examples. Applicants originate from across Indonesia, and certain areas are often famous for producing a particular kind of product. 

As a result of an agreement between the Thai Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) and the Japanese Patent Office (JPO), on January 1, 2014, the DIP initiated a two-year Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program. The PPH Pilot Program provides a fast-track channel that allows applicants who have filed a patent application in Japan first, followed by a counterpart application in Thailand, to accelerate substantive examination of their Thai application by utilizing the examination results of their Japanese application.

Expanding waistlines and increasing health awareness have given rise to a consumer culture infatuated with well-being, not only in Thailand but all over the world. For producers, this means intense pressure to create healthy or healthier versions of their products. For the government—specifically the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—this means an obligation to implement and enforce stricter regulations on food and nutrition.

Employers should be familiar with their obligations under Myanmar’s rapidly evolving labor laws. These laws often impose unique restrictions and procedural requirements on employers which could result in disastrous consequences if not complied with. In this article, we provide an overview of foreign investors’ significant obligations when hiring employees in Myanmar.

Employers often believe that fixed-term employment contracts provide advantages over indefinite-term agreements because of the complexity of terminating workers under Thai law. But in reality, fixed-term contracts are subject to a variety of restrictions under Thai law which can lead to significant, and often unexpected, legal pitfalls for employers. This article highlights some of the key issues to help managers understand the law when entering into fixed-term employment contracts.

In Franz Kafka’s novel The Castle, the main character, known only as “K,” futilely attempts to gain access to a mysterious group of administrators that run a small village from a castle. K is challenged throughout the story to learn the obscure and constantly changing ways of the castle’s imposing bureaucracy.

In the July issue of Asia IP, Somboon Earterasarun, director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Jakarta office, was interviewed for his thoughts on exceptions to infringement under Indonesia’s new copyright law. His comments were included in the magazine’s special feature, “The Dissection of Indonesian Copyright Exceptions.”

Debt collection has long been associated with deceptive and unscrupulous practices. In Thailand, it is not uncommon to hear stories of collectors tricking debtors into paying by giving false information or even resorting to abusive language, violence, and blackmail.