Reproduced with the kind permission of Global Regulatory Press from the Journal of Medical Device Regulation, 2012, 9(4), 75-81 (www.globalregulatorypress.com).Market Overview

Can a professional model claim for protection of copyright over her walk on the runway? In August 2012, the Thai Supreme Court rendered a final decision to resolve one of the most controversial copyright cases in Thailand: whether the “performers’ rights” under the Thai Copyright Act include the walk by a model on the runway during a fashion show.Dilemma of a Protected Performance

Many companies, for a number of sound reasons, use workers employed through subcontractor agreements with third-party employers. Such agreements can allow a company to meet short-term needs without the burden of actually employing the workers.

The Vietnamese press has written frequently in recent months on the issue of foreign traders illegally carrying out import and export activities in Vietnam by entering as “tourists”—a very simple immigration procedure—and then collecting goods such as agricultural or fisheries products in Vietnam to export back to their home countries.

As trade barriers continue to be reduced in ASEAN, a larger number of counterfeit products are likely to be circulated within the region. It is therefore important for companies to ensure that their intellectual property enforcement training is not only focused on government officials in relatively developed countries like Thailand, but also reaches the authorities in emerging markets, such as Laos and Cambodia, where an increasing number of counterfeit goods can be found.

Within the food industry, all eyes are currently turned toward the European Union, because after December 14, 2012, new limitations will be introduced for acceptable health claims on food products.

Spam is costing businesses enormous amounts of money and time in handling unwanted messages and maintaining necessary bandwidth. It is therefore alarming to note that Vietnam produces 3.07% of the world’s spam, placing it seventh in the global ranking published by SophosLabs in its Security Threat Report 2012. As the mobile phone market in Vietnam continues to grow,  spam has not only become an everyday nuisance, but also poses a serious threat to security.

The current Copyright Act B.E. 2537 (1994) has been in force for 18 years. Given the rapid technological change in the last two decades, copyright owners and practitioners widely agree that it is necessary to update the existing legislative framework to account for the rise of the internet.