The Thai parliament has just very recently approved its government’s proposal for accession to the Madrid System.
The Madrid System, established by the Madrid Arrangement of 1891 and the Madrid Protocol of 1989, offers a Mark holder the possibility of obtaining protection for his Mark in several countries by making a single application for registration at a national office (such as INPI in France) or a regional one (such as OHMI). This system enables a significant reduction in the costs incurred by multiple applications for national Mark registration. The Protocol also simplifies the administration of Marks by enabling a change or a renewal of registration following the same procedure.
Thailand, South Asia’s second largest economy, is thereby progressively aligning itself with international practice. The aim is to stimulate the country’s economic expansion by enhancing its attractiveness in the eyes of Mark holders.
However, for Thailand’s accession to become a reality, its Parliament would still need to make changes to existing legislation concerning Marks. These amendments, already drawn up by the Thailand’s Mark Office, should be approved within the next six months. Thailand’s accession to the Madrid System is scheduled for 2015.