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Structure and Organization of the Thai Patent Office

Ministry	Ministry of Commerce
Competent Administration	Department of Intellectual Property
Web Sites	http://www.ipthailand.org (Thai) http://www.ipthailand.org/en/index.php (English)
Address	44/100 Sa Nam Bin Nam Road Muang Nonthaburi 11000
Telephone	(66 2) 547 4621-25 (66 2) 547 4653 (Mr. Chumpichai)
Telefax	(66 2) 547 4699
E-mail	chumpichai@hotmail.com
Title	Director-General, Department of Intellectual Property
Name of Director	Mr. Yanyong Phuangrach
Name of Deputy Director	Mr. Chumpichai Svasti-Xuto
Info updated by WIPO	10-2001

Background of Patent Law in Thailand

Thailand is a member of the WTO but not the PCT.  Thailand has an “absolute novelty” requirement for patents. The following things are excluded from patentability:

• microorganisms which naturally exist and their components, animals and plants, or extracts from animals and plants
• scientific or mathematical rules or theories
• computer programs
• methods for diagnosing, treating or curing human or animal diseases
• an invention for which a patent application is pending in a foreign country for more than 18 months prior to the date of the Thai application
• an invention/design which has been disclosed to the public and/or patented or registered elsewhere prior to filing of the Thai application
• an invention which is contrary to public order, morality, health or welfare.

Thailand has both patents and “petty patents” (utility model patents).  Petty patents are granted to “inventions” that are new and industrially applicable, but lack an inventive step.  The term for petty patents is 6 years from the filing date, as opposed to 20 years for standard utility applications.

For more detailed information about patent rights in Thailand, see Recent Trends within the Thai Department of Intellectual Property.

Availability of Patent Data and Patent Search Capability

It is possible to search patent data on the Thailand Department of Intellectual Property site, after registering for free. The website, and search forms are available in both Thai and English.

The SURFIP web site, a project of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, appears to provide the capability to search the Thai patent collection.

The Industrial Property Information Center of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) formerly provided a search engine for Thai Patents, which allowed searching of bibliographic data and application abstracts. However, this system now appears to be defunct. The JICA site now directs you to the Thailand Intellectual Property site.

Plant Breeders Rights

Thailand is not a member of UPOV.  Thailand passed a Plant Varieties Protection Act (B.E. 2542) in 1999.