The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has stated that Intellectual Property has been divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs.[1]
…The Thai Copyright Law protects the “expression of idea” by way of giving a set of “exclusive rights” to the copyright owner within a certain “limited period of time.” 9 various copyrighted works protected under the Thai Copyright Law are: literary work which includes computer program; dramatic work; musical work; artistic work; audiovisual work; cinematographic work; sound recording work; broadcasting work and other work which may fall in the literary, scientific or artistic domain. Thai copyright law also gives protection to Performers as well.[2]
Current Issues of Thai Copyright Law
There has a dramatically changed in technology which affects the laws that relate to it. Copyright Law is one of them that have been caused by the advent of technology severely. Internet is a good instance of the advancement. The no boundary internet makes it easier for copying and distributing of millions of contents and works without proper authorization from copyright owners. While some countries adapt and amend their internal copyright laws to keep pace with technology by way of ratifying the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and/or WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT).[3]
It can be argued that Thailand’s government and police authorities seem to be consistently under pressure from multinational companies owning registered trademarks, patents and copyrighted works. In my personal view, I think that this situation may result from a lax attitude toward adequate protection of Intellectual Property Rights.
[1] The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), ‘What is Intellectual Property?’ <http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en> accessed 2 November 2010
[2] Thai entertainment content trade association, ‘Copyright of Thailand <http://www.teca.co.th/index.php/law/35-copyrigh-law/258-copyright-of-thailand-.html> accessed 2 November 2010
[3] Thai entertainment content trade association (n 2)
very interesting!
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