Commerce minister vows to remove Thailand from US IP Watch List

Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has vowed to improve IPR (intellectual property rights) protection for US products so that Thailand would be removed from the IP Watch List of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

In an interview with Thansettakij, a Nation Group publication, Pichai said removal from the USTR watch list was essential in order for the Commerce Ministry to negotiate for extension of the GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) for Thai products exported to the US.

Pichai said the IP Department of his ministry has drafted a work plan with the USTR Office with the goal of removing the kingdom from the watch list.

He said the work plan has measures for tangibly protecting copyrights and trademarks of US products and services as well as cracking down on violations of US intellectual property rights with tangible results.

Pichai said if the IP Department implemented the plans successfully, Thailand would be cleared from the watch list, which would serve to persuade the US government to renew the GSP for Thai products.

Pichai is reportedly planning to visit the US in February, during which the GSP issue would be among the topics for discussion.
He said the GSP extension would help Thai products to be more competitive against products from other countries.

Pichai said about 2,660 Thai goods enjoyed GSP rights now. He said some US$2.292 billion worth of goods exported to the US from January to September this year were made under the GSP rights.

He said several of the products were used as raw materials by US manufacturers, so he was confident that these would see their GSP rights renewed.

Pichai said he has been in consultation with US Ambassador to Thailand Robert F Godec and the US-ASEAN Business Council about the GSP extension.