Knowledge Center
Easy-to-understand intellectual property knowledge — steps, timelines, and costs, kept up to date by the Patent To You team.
Articles are prepared under PatentToYou's editorial and legal review process.
Beginner's Guides
What Is Intellectual Property? Why Does It Matter to Business?
What Is a Patent, and Why Register One?
What Is a Trademark, and Why Register One?
What Kind of IP Protection Does Your Product Need?
Latest Articles
Can You Disclose an Invention Before Filing a Patent Application in Thailand?
Does selling, advertising, exhibiting, or posting about an invention before filing risk its novelty? And Thailand's narrow statutory exception.
How to Choose Trademark Classes and Goods or Services in Thailand
What classes are, how they differ from the goods/services specification, and how to choose them for your business.
What Should You Search Before Filing a Trademark in Thailand?
Why searching before filing helps, identical vs. confusingly similar marks, and the limits of a preliminary search.
How Long Does Copyright Last in Thailand? Terms by Work Type
Life of the author plus how many years? How do photographs, works of applied art, and juristic-person-owned works differ?
Design Patent Infringement: What to Do First
Think your design patent is being infringed? How to document it, whether a cease-and-desist letter is required, and what remedies are available under Thai law.
Petty Patent Renewal in Thailand: Process and Deadlines
When must a renewal be filed, how many days before expiration, what fees apply, and what happens if you miss the deadline?
Administrative, Civil & Criminal Enforcement Routes
An overview of Thailand's 3 IP enforcement routes and the factors to weigh before choosing one.
How Does a Design Patent Differ From an Invention Patent and Petty Patent?
A design patent protects appearance, while an invention or petty patent protects function. Can the same product hold both protections at once?
Who Owns IP Created by Employees? Patents vs. Copyright in Thailand
An employer owns patent rights to an employee's invention by default, but copyright in an employee's work belongs to the employee. What businesses should know before drafting employment contracts.
Cease & Desist Letters for IP Infringement
What a Cease and Desist letter is, when it may be considered, what to check first, and its limits.
Evidence Preservation for IP Disputes
What evidence to gather — screenshots, URLs, dates, product photos, receipts — and how preserving evidence differs from proving infringement in court.
What to Do When Your IP Is Infringed
7 practical first steps when you suspect infringement but aren't sure which right is involved — from identifying the right, to assessment, evidence, and professional consultation.
How to File a Petty Patent in Thailand: Process, Documents & Timeline
Required documents, what the DIP examines, how long it takes, government fees, and how to renew.
International Filing Strategy: Choosing the Right Route
A decision framework for choosing your international patent and trademark filing route: IP type, target countries, timing, budget, and priority order to consider before you file.
What Is the Madrid Protocol? Is Protection Automatic?
The Madrid Protocol is a centralized international trademark filing system through WIPO — it does not create automatic worldwide protection. Each designated country still examines and can refuse.
Entering the National Phase: What Happens After PCT
After filing a PCT application, you enter the National Phase in each selected country. What it involves, what to prepare, why each country examines separately, and why early planning matters.
What Is the PCT? Does It Grant an International Patent?
The PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) is a single international patent filing system — it does not grant an "international patent." How it differs from direct filing and Paris Convention priority.
DIY Patent Search or Hire a Professional? Factors to Consider
When is a self-run search enough, and when should you hire a professional? Signs it's time for an expert.
What Is Freedom-to-Operate (FTO)? How Is It Different From a Patentability Search?
Why passing a patentability search doesn't mean you're safe from infringement, and why FTO shouldn't be concluded from a keyword search alone.
Copyright Notification in Thailand: Process, Documents, and Fee
What is copyright notification, how is it different from registration, what documents are needed, and is there a fee?
Copyright Infringement: What to Do First
Think your copyrighted work is being infringed? How to document it, your options for a police report or civil suit, and whether copyright offenses can be settled.
What Inventions Qualify for a Petty Patent in Thailand? Criteria and Exclusions
The novelty and industrial-applicability criteria, why no inventive step is required, and what's excluded by law.
Can Recipes, Food Products, or Formulas Be Protected?
Can you patent a recipe in Thailand? What actually protects a food business - petty patent, trademark, or trade secret.
Patent Infringement: What to Do First
Think your patent is being infringed? How to document it, whether a cease-and-desist letter is required, and what the litigation process looks like in Thailand.
Trademark Infringement: What to Do First
Think your trademark is being infringed? The difference between counterfeiting and imitation, and what the litigation process looks like in Thailand.
How Long Does Design Patent Registration Take? Steps, Documents & Costs 2026
How long does design patent registration take, what are the steps, what documents do you need, and roughly how much does it cost? A complete summary in one article.
Patent Annual Fees in Thailand
When do annual fees start, what are the year 5-20 rates, and what happens if you pay late or never pay?
Patent vs. Trade Secret: Which Should You Choose?
How do patents and trade secrets protect differently? When should you file a patent, when should you keep it secret? Includes Thailand's Trade Secrets Act B.E. 2545.
IP Management for Startups and SMEs
What IP do startups and SMEs actually have, what should you register first on a limited budget? Plus a starting checklist.
What to Do When a Trademark Is Refused
Why do trademarks get refused, can you appeal, and what's the deadline and fee?
What Is an Office Action? How It Differs From a Refusal
What is an Office Action, how many days do you have to respond, and what happens if you miss the deadline?
Trademark Renewal in Thailand: Process and Deadlines
When is renewal due, can you file before or after expiration, how much does it cost, and what happens if you miss the deadline?
Should You Register the Brand Name or Logo First?
Can you file them separately? What should you register first on a limited budget, and what happens when your logo changes later?
What Is a Design Patent? How It Differs From a Patent and a Trademark
What's protected, how long it lasts, and how it differs from an invention patent, a petty patent, and a trademark.
What Is Copyright, and Do You Need to Register It?
What is copyright, when does it arise, and do you need to register it first? Why file a copyright notification with the DIP anyway? A clear summary in one article.
Petty Patent vs. Invention Patent: What's the Difference, and Which Should You Choose?
What is a petty patent, how does it differ from an invention patent, and which should your business register for its invention?
How Long Does Trademark Registration Take? Fees & Documents 2026
How long does trademark registration take, how much are the fees, and what documents do you need? A complete summary in one article.
How Long Does Patent Registration Take? Steps, Documents & Costs 2026
How long does patent registration take, what documents do you need to prepare? A summary of the steps and approximate costs, all in one place.
What Kind of IP Protection Does Your Product Need?
Intellectual property isn't just copyright. We walk through the 3 main types — patents, trademarks, and copyright — and how their protection differs.
What Is a Patent, and Why Register One?
A patent is an official document granted by the state to protect an invention, giving you the exclusive right to manufacture and sell it for a set period defined by law.
What Is Intellectual Property? Why Does It Matter to Business?
Intellectual property is property that comes from human creativity, helping creators and business owners protect their innovations and brands from unauthorized use.
What Is a Trademark, and Why Register One?
A trademark is a symbol used to show the distinctive identity of goods or services. Registering it helps prevent copying and builds customer confidence.
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