Thai Government Fights Back Against Global Brand Poaching
Commerce Ministry's "Trademark Monitor" programme foils attempts by foreign entities to register famous Thai trademarks like 'Moo Deng' and 'Hongthai' in Asia
- Thailand's Commerce Ministry has launched a "Trademark Monitor" initiative to proactively detect and block foreign entities from registering well-known Thai brands overseas.
- The program focuses on key markets like China and ASEAN, alerting Thai owners to infringement attempts and providing free legal support to file timely objections.
- This initiative has already successfully prevented the poaching of several high-profile brands, including "Moo Deng" and "Hongthai Brand," safeguarding them from significant potential market losses.
Thailand’s Commerce Ministry has launched an aggressive new strategy to protect domestic businesses, successfully blocking foreign attempts to register well-known Thai brands overseas.
The Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) rolled out its "Trademark Monitor" initiative to keep watch for foreign parties trying to exploit and register Thai trademarks in key markets, allowing Thai owners to file timely objections.
This effort, aligned with Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun's "Quick Big Win" policy, aims to safeguard local entrepreneurs and bolster the international strength of Thai brands.
DIP Director-General Auramon Supthaweethum noted that intellectual property infringement abroad, especially concerning trademarks, is a significant hurdle for Thai exports.
This violation often leaves Thai brand owners unable to use their own marks in foreign territories, potentially damaging their reputation.
The Two Faces of Infringement
The infringement mainly targets consumer goods, fashion, and electronics and typically occurs in two ways:
Counterfeiting: Other individuals forge the Thai trademark to market competing products abroad.
Opportunistic Registration: Parties linked to the Thai business, such as a distributor, register a famous Thai trademark in their own name, thereby preventing the original Thai owner from selling their goods in that country.
The Trademark Monitor project works proactively by watching the publicised trademark applications in foreign IP offices—a window of 60 to 90 days before official registration.
The DIP has initially focused its surveillance efforts on China and ASEAN member states, which are critical trading partners.
Since its launch in March 2025, the free-of-charge programme has enrolled over 100 Thai entrepreneurs.
Protecting Thai Icons
When a matching or similar trademark application is detected, the DIP immediately alerts the Thai owner, provides expert legal consultation, and advises on filing an opposition within the prescribed deadline.
In the seven months between March and September 2025, the DIP secured timely blocks against several high-profile trademark registrations, including:
"Moo Deng" (Pygmy Hippo), belonging to the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand, detected in China.
"Hongthai Brand", belonging to Hongthai Thai Herbs Co., Ltd., detected in China and Vietnam.
"IRPC", belonging to IRPC Public Company Limited, detected in China.
The Director-General revealed the high financial stakes involved, stating that if the Moo Deng trademark registration in China had not been opposed in time, the owner faced an estimated loss of over 300 million baht in market opportunities.
Auramon confirmed the DIP plans to continue the Trademark Monitor project throughout the 2026 fiscal year to empower Thai businesses to expand internationally with confidence.
Thai trademark owners intending to export to ASEAN countries or China are invited to apply for the next intake of 100 eligible participants in November 2025.
Those interested in joining the project or seeking more information can contact the Trademark Division of the Department of Intellectual Property at Tel. 0-2547-5006, Hotline 1368, or find more details on the website www.ipthailand.go.th.
