Good progress on Thai IP rights awareness seen

How do you see the situation in Thai-land regarding concerns over intellectual property (IP) rights ?
Thailand has had very dynamic plans for managing violations of intellectual-property rights and increasing awareness during the past few years. The country has moved in the right direction since the Creative Economy project was launched a few years ago. The creative-industry promotion plan has helped promote public interest, and the creative industry is expected to play a key role in the growth of national products and help promote a stronger economy for Thailand in the coming years.

As Thailand will soon integrate with other regional countries to become a single market under the Asean Economic Community, are you concerned about IP violation among Asean nations and what do you think Asean should do to reduce violation across the region?
The level of IP awareness among Asean member states is different. To ensure that the region can protect IP rights and raise the awareness of Asean people, there should be a reminder across its member states about IP issues. It could set up a single agency that is responsible for IP-related matters in order to raise awareness and increase protection in the region after the market is merged into one. Single-market trading will not only facilitate normal trade growth, but could also lead to easier transportation of illegal goods.
The region should also improve laws to protect the rights of enterprises in order to promote intra-Asean trade and attract foreign investors.

What should Thailand do to continue to attract new investment to the country amidst high competitiveness and a global economic slowdown?
Thailand’s major challenge in today’s trading is how to create added value for investors and enterprises in the country. The Kingdom can no longer rely only on the manufacturing sector, but should focus more on IP development as a way to stay competitive in today’s trading. Look at today’s investment: more than US$1.2 trillion [Bt37 trillion] invested in IP development around the world. If IP rights protection is developed and the country’s economy is based on creativity, Thailand will ensure it can compete and attract foreign investors, despite higher production costs.
 
What should Thailand do to promote the country as a creative-economy-based society, as well as to ensure |sustainable growth?
Thailand has strengthened its design [capability] in many industries, but to promote more creativity in every industry, it should focus more on the development of education. Improving education programmes to encourage students to use their creativity is the key to success in becoming a creativity-based society. Thailand should develop the education system from the school level right through to university.
It should get people used to the benefits of IP and added value. People should be encouraged to respect IP rights. Although added value is intangible, the government should promote awareness and inform the public that creativity can become a tangible product and create more value than copycat or normal [non-creative] products.