NONTHABURI – The United States keeps Thailand in its Watch List praising many efforts to protect intellectual property while raising some concerns.
Deputy Prime Minister/Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said that the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced its annual Special 301 Report on intellectual property protection on the night of April 29 Thailand time and Thailand remained in its Watch List since 2017, better than Thailand’s presence in the Priority Watch List earlier.
The US praised Thailand for its government’s serious work to protect intellectual property, he said. It included an amendment to a copyright law, improved procedures for patent application and preparation to enter into the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs and the World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty.
Thailand planned to amend its copyright law to catch up with the era of the Internet, Mr Jurin described. Besides, it increased its copyright inspectors, suppressed copyright violation in markets and on the Internet, and conducted many forms of campaigns for intellectual property awareness.
However, Mr Jurin said, the US raised its concerns about the sales of pirate products in some areas including the Patpong night market in Bangkok and www.shopee.co.th.
Thailand is among 23 countries in the Watch List. Others are Vietnam, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Romania, Turkey, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.
Ten countries are in the Priority Watch List. They are China, Indonesia, India, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, Chile and Venezuela. (TNA)
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