The franchise business model is widespread in Thailand in many fields, such as clothing retailers (Zara and The Gap), fast food outlets (McDonald’s and KFC), and convenience stores (7-Eleven and Family Mart). This level of popularity can be attributed to the fact that franchising allows the franchisor to promote a successful business model or product in other geographical areas, while many of the risks are borne by the franchisee.

Over the past 20 years, Thailand has become a major hub for transportation and transition of goods in Southeast Asia. This role can be attributed to the country’s strategic geographical position and improvements to its Customs Department that have made it significantly more efficient in recent years, including the implementation of e-Customs. While trying to develop and facilitate trade through faster, less complicated, and even more environmentally friendly procedures, the Customs Department has maintained its vigilant intellectual property protection.

“Everything that can be invented has been invented” was the mythic pronouncement of the Commissioner of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Charles H. Duell, in 1899.  Nonetheless, in the one hundred and ten years since these words were purportedly spoken, inventors have continued to develop innovative new technologies that benefit humanity.

Since 2003, Thailand has been engaged in amending its key intellectual property laws—the Trademark Act, the Patent Act, and the Copyright Act. The amendments are intended to provide protection for new types of marks, make the registration process less time-consuming, and clarify some contentious issues such as copyright fees, copyright fee collection agencies, and penalties for copyright offenses. The progress of the amendments is explored in this article.

Ambush marketing is one of the emerging issues wherein the boundaries of permissible unauthorized event-based advertising and promotion are being tested. In recent years, there have been numerous occasions worldwide where conflicts have arisen between organizations that stage proprietary high-profile events and various unaffiliated companies which try to benefit from the popularity and excitement surrounding these events.

This chapter provides an overview of the legal system and key laws for foreign companies doing business in Thailand. Presented in a question-and-answer format, the chapter examines the rules governing foreign investment, business vehicles, employment, tax, competition, intellectual property, marketing agreements, e-commerce, data protection, and product liability.

This chapter provides an overview of the arbitration system in Thailand. The chapter covers laws and institutions, arbitration agreements, arbitral tribunals, procedural issues, and awards, among other areas.

The Consumer Case Procedure Act (CCPA) was enacted with a primary intent to provide better protection to historically disadvantaged consumers.  One focus area was in provisional measures before judgment. Section 56 of the CCPA provides the grounds for support of provisional measures before judgment.  While there are some initial similarities, the CCPA goes further than what is currently provided by the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) and the Regulations for Intellectual and International Trade Cases B.E.