Thailand's revised IPR law expected to satisfy US

BANGKOK, September 26 (TNA) - The Ministry of Commerce says that Thailand's revised law on intellectual property rights (IPR) should satisfy the United States and lead to Washington's move to lift the Thai Kingdom from its Priority Watch List. New Deputy Commerce Minister Apiradee Tantraporn told journalists on Friday that the amended IPR draft law is expected to be approved by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and to be promulgated soon. Apiradee acknowledged that IPR violations in Thailand have declined, as the interim government has paid extra attention to the issue and other concerned agencies have given cooperation. Presently, Thailand is on Washington’s Priority Watch List and it is hoped that several countries, especially the United States, should be satisfied with the revised Thai IPR law and reconsider their moves against Thailand. The deputy commerce minister made the remarks on Thursday while witnessing the annual destruction of seized goods violating IPR, worth 2.01 billion baht, considered the highest value ever destroyed by the Thai government. The fake goods, weighing about 80 tonnes, include clothes, bags, watches and auto parts. The destruction of the pirated products was also witnessed by authorities of the Royal Thai Police, the Customs Department and other agencies concerned. Thursday's destruction of the seized contraband goods was also aimed to ensure manufacturers of genuine goods that Thai authorities have paid attention to intellectural property (IP) infringements and to also ensure that counterfeit goods would not be exported. (TNA)