US asked to move Thailand from PWL

BANGKOK, November 7 (TNA) - Newly-appointed Deputy Commerce Minister Nattawut Saikua has vowed to seriously suppress pirated products to convince the United States to move Thailand from its priority watch list (PWL) to its watch list (WL). Nattawut, who is assigned to supervise his ministry's Department of Intellectual Property, told journalists Wednesday that he will follow up many bills concerning piracy suppression which have been sent to the Council of State for scrutiny, including those against recording in movie theaters, software piracy and copyright violation on the Internet. Nattawut acknowledged if the House of Representatives deliberate the bills during Thailand's next parliamentary session in 2013, he will try to convince the United States to move Thailand from its PWL to its WL, noting that Washington has kept Thailand on its PWL on piracy for several years and it has reviewed its watch lists every April. According to the deputy commerce minister, he has also ordered the Department of Intellectual Property to improve its suppression on intellectual property infringement and planned to persuade music and film companies, as well as related businesses to promote copyrighted products through their public campaigns, particularly among young consumers. Meanwhile, the Department of Intellectual Property announced that it will shorten its process for patent registrations from 1-2 years to only 3-6 months. (TNA)