As one of the most valuable assets of a successful business, a trademark is increasingly recognized as an important intellectual property right to be protected against potential infringers. This has led to a growing number of disputes in Thailand, as the increased recognition of marks inevitably leads to claims of overlapping rights. Normally, trademark-related disputes concern the issue of which party has the better right to a trademark—especially when opposing parties’ trademarks are identical or confusingly similar.

The Indonesian Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) officially launched the new and mandatory e-filing system on August 17, 2019. Because of the e-filing system, it is now not possible to file IP applications manually through the filing counter at the DGIP. All new IP applications must be filed online.

One of our clients, a leading European manufacturer of automotive brake systems for high-performance cars and motorcycles, was plagued by counterfeiting problems in Thailand, substantially affecting their business in the jurisdiction. The client is well-recognized by consumers worldwide, including in Thailand, and once a brand has achieved a high recognition factor among consumers, there are always copycats in the market that will try to use the brand’s well-recognized reputation to deceive consumers and gain profits from poor-quality imitations.    

Intellectual property (IP) protection and the awareness of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in Laos have been increasing recently due to the support of the Lao government, which expressly recognizes the importance of IP to the country’s ambitions for modernization, industrialization, and developing the country’s regional and global status. Such attitudes are reflected in policy statements and strategic planning goals, and local authorities are growing more supportive toward the enforcement of IPRs in Laos.

WIPO’s Madrid System, which provides an alternative to filing trademark applications through the traditional national route, has been an option for global brand owners seeking trademark protection in Thailand since November 7, 2017. As of October 2019, more than 15,000 international registrations (IRs) designating Thailand have been filed and processed at the International Bureau, which suggests a positive reception of the system by brand owners.

Introduction    A series of perhaps unrelated drivers have resulted in a renewed emphasis on decommissioning obligations within the energy industry, from government mandates for renewable energy to the end-of-life of many oil and gas concessions and product sharing contracts around Asia and throughout the world. These circumstances have spurred governments and oil and gas interest holders to begin the robust debate on decommissioning obligations and related processes and security arrangements.    

The internet has provided exponential growth in platforms for the delivery of media content, but while regulations for traditional forms of media, such as film and television content, are well established, specific regulations and clear supervision for over-the-top (OTT) content still have yet to be established.  This article discusses the authority of the Thai regulator to control content broadcast through different modes of delivery, such as film, television, and OTT content.

Interim measures are necessary to protect the interests of a claimant in arbitral proceedings when speed is required in obtaining emergency interim relief. In many cases, urgent situations occur even before the filing of a notice of arbitration and the appointment of arbitrators.