Experienced Thai patent agents know that obtaining a Thai patent can be time consuming, especially as a patent application may spend most of the patent term (which begins on the filing date) pending grant. Once patent rights have been won, the patentee must be vigilant not to let the patent lapse due to non-payment of the annuities. The patentee or annuity service provider may miscalculate the annuity payment deadline, often because of different laws in multiple jurisdictions with which the patentee must contend. To maintain the patent through the timely payment of annuity fees, a patentee may retain a patent agent or annuity service provider knowledgeable of the local regulations to make the payments on the patentee’s behalf.