On 07th August 2017, Thailand joined the Madrid system after its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol was deposited with WIPO’s Director-General, making the country the 99th Member of the Madrid System.
The Madrid Protocol will come into effect in Thailand on 07th November 2017, enabling the country to operate as a terminus of the trademark application filing system under the Protocol, processing outgoing applications as an Office of Origin and examining incoming applications as a Designated Office.
Thailand has been preparing for its accession to the Madrid system for several years – from holding extensive discussions to canvass public and professional opinions, to enacting a new Trademark Act (No. 3) B.E. 2559 in July 2017, to modifying the country’s legal infrastructure relating to trademark protection.
After the operational integration of Thailand into the Madrid system, in November 2017, the Madrid Protocol will provide an attractive option for trademark owners to include Thailand in their unified international filing strategy.
Thailand’s accession includes the following conditions:
- Extension of the refusal period to 18 months and over.
- Application of individual fees (to be announced) in the Designated Office examination stage.
- License recordals made in the International Register to have no effect in Thailand.
Applicant’s interested in seeking protection of their trade marks in Thailand are advised to use the Global Brand Database to browse trade marks currently registered in Thailand before they file an international application.
Please contact us at Info@cfllegal.com should you require further information.
