A business name and a logo can each be filed as separate trademarks - you don't have to choose only one. So the real question isn't "which one," it's "which one first, if my budget or time is limited."

Yes, you can register them separately

Under Thailand's Trademark Act B.E. 2534 and its amendments, a business name and a logo can each be filed as a trademark in its own separate application. Each application must independently satisfy distinctiveness, and must not be identical or confusingly similar to a mark already registered in the same class.

Why order matters - or doesn't

Legally, filing the name first or the logo first doesn't give either one priority over the other - each application is examined for distinctiveness and similarity independently. So the order is really a matter of business priority, not a legal requirement: which one do customers actually recognize your brand by right now - the name they hear word-of-mouth, or the logo they see on your packaging?

If you can only afford one right now

  • Businesses that rely on word-of-mouth, name-based search, or channels that don't display the logo prominently (phone sales, marketplaces that lead with the shop name) - the name usually carries more risk to protect first.
  • Businesses where the logo is a clearer brand identifier than the name itself (fashion goods, packaging where the logo is more prominent than the name) - the logo may be the better first pick.
  • There's no universal answer - assess based on your actual customer behavior. Consult an agent for a case-by-case read.

What happens when your logo changes later

A registered trademark only covers the exact form filed at the time. If your logo changes materially (not just a minor color or font tweak), the original registration may no longer cover the new version, and you'll typically need a new application for the updated logo. This is the practical advantage of filing the name and logo separately from the start - if they're combined into one mark, changing the logo can put the name's protection at risk too, even though the name itself never changed.

Filing both together vs. separately - cost and timeline implications

Government fees are charged per application, not as a bundle: each application (name or logo) carries a filing fee of THB 1,000 per goods/services item (up to 5 items) or a flat THB 9,000 per class (6 or more items), plus a registration fee of THB 600 per item or THB 5,400 per class once approved (see the current fee table on the Trademark Registration page). That means filing two applications (name + logo) naturally costs more in government fees than filing one - not because they're filed together or separately. Patent To You's professional fee also starts at THB 4,900 per class, per application. Examination time for each application isn't faster or slower depending on whether you file together or separately, since the Department of Intellectual Property reviews each application on its own queue.

Note: the figures above are government fees, kept clearly separate from Patent To You's own professional service fee.

FAQ

Can I file the name and logo together as one mark, in a single application?

Yes, if you design it as a combined mark (name and logo together as one image). The downside: if you later want to change the logo but keep the name, or vice versa, you'd need to file an entirely new application instead of updating just the part that changed. Filing them as two separate applications is usually more flexible long-term.

If I file the name and logo at the same time, do they get approved together?

Each application is examined and registered independently, on its own timeline. Even filed the same day, they may clear examination at different times - the exact timing depends on the Department of Intellectual Property's examination queue at that time.