This brief article provides an update on the opening of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Receiving Office in Thailand on September 29, 2009. The PCT will enter into force for Thailand on December 24, 2009.

Customs recordal is one of the legal measures that IP owners can employ for enforcement at the borders. The Customs Law provides that IP can be recorded with local Customs offices or the General Customs Department in Hanoi. This article provides an overview of the procedures.

When creating trademarks, pharmaceutical companies often choose words that are similar to the generic names of the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) system administered by the World Health Organization. These marks frequently incorporate the first or last syllables of the relevant INN. The chart below provides samples of trademarks—registered in Class 5 for pharmaceutical products—that are similar to an INN.

Since their introduction, karaoke machines have gained popularity among Thai consumers within a short period of time and have become part of the restaurant business throughout the country. Karaoke machines are thus a tool for attracting customers and generating income. Needless to say, karaoke machines cannot operate without musical content, most of which is copyright-protected. This article examines the copyright issues involved in the karaoke business and the role played by royalty fee collecting agencies.

Thailand’s attempt to become a regional medical hub is being held back by pro-generic policies and burdensome regulatory approval processes. This article examines three obstacles to Thailand’s aim.

Whilst Thailand’s bankruptcy laws have come some way on the domestic front since the Asian financial crisis, the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings remains out of reach. This article examines the evolution of Thai insolvency and restructuring laws, as well as the Thai perspective on cross-border insolvency proceedings.

Thailand is a country in which violation of customs laws can create criminal liability. However, such criminal liability may not necessarily be easy to assign. One reason is that Thailand’s 83 year-old customs law, the Customs Act B.E. 2469 (1926), contains several ambiguities. These ambiguities have provided a significant challenge for Thai authorities trying to enforce this criminal law. Nevertheless, the Thai government’s efforts to tackle “customs evasion” and “customs avoidance” have become more high profile in recent months.

In seeking a patent, applicants not only have to define the novelty of an invention but also have to indicate that such invention possesses an inventive step. Further, the patent application must thoroughly document the inventive step in the disclosure and claims. Failure to meet these criteria will lead to the dismissal of the application. The cases described in this article provide some important insights on how to avoid rejection of a Thai patent application due to inadequate attention to the requirements for inventive step.