20-year IP roadmap approved

20-year IP roadmap approved

Workers prepare to shovel pirated items to be crushed by a steamroller at Khlong Luang Goods Transport Centre in Pathum Thani in March 2016. More than a million items worth 729 million baht seized as evidence since the beginning of the year were destroyed. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Workers prepare to shovel pirated items to be crushed by a steamroller at Khlong Luang Goods Transport Centre in Pathum Thani in March 2016. More than a million items worth 729 million baht seized as evidence since the beginning of the year were destroyed. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The government yesterday approved a 20-year intellectual property (IP) reform roadmap, which features short, medium and long-term action plans.

The short-term action plan calls for the government to have Thailand removed from the US's Priority Watch List for intellectual property in April next year through myriad new enforcement measures.

The roadmap spanning 2018-21 covers support for Thai people to develop their own intellectual property as well as measures to protect against and suppress IP violations. It also calls for establishing new environments that stimulate IP creation, the commercialisation of IP, law enforcement and the promotion of geographical indication.

The plan entails more spending on research and development and the creation of an intellectual property database. Efforts will also be made to raise awareness of the harm caused by using pirated products.

The national intellectual property policy committee chaired by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha approved the long-term reform plan and the action plans, which will be jointly implemented by Thai authorities and their US counterparts.

As a short-term measure, authorities will work closely with the Internal Security Operations Command, the Department of Special Investigation and the national police to launch a clampdown on piracy, notably in red zones and notorious markets nationwide, with an eye to cutting the piracy rate over the next four months.

The government aims to eradicate IP infringements in these venues by 2021.

Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the Intellectual Property Department, recently said recently red zones in closed areas such as department stores must be wiped out within four months, while serious action will be taken in open areas such as Sukhumvit Road and Chatuchak weekend market.

The suppression drive over the next four months will focus mainly on 27 areas categorised as red zones.

These include MBK Centre, Pantip Plaza, Khlong Thom, Baan Mor, Sukhumvit Road and Patpong in Bangkok; markets in Chiang Mai and Phuket; and Rong Klua market on the Thai-Cambodian Border.

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