BANGKOK, Jan 26 (TNA) - Armed with substantial confidence that Thailand had sufficiency suppressed the piracy of US intellectual property during 2007, the chief of the Intellectual Property Department said she hoped Washington would upgrade Thailand from the current priority watch list later this year.
Puangrat Aswapisit, director-general of the Intellectual Property Department, said her department is preparing to submit information on the Thai government's suppression of violations of US intellectual property rights during 2007 to the US government for its consideration.
It is expected that the information would be forwarded to the US by February 15, while Washington is projected to inform the kingdom of its status by the middle of this year, she said.
In the middle of 2007 Washington downgraded Thailand to the priority watch list from the watch list as it was unhappy with the Thai government's efforts in suppressing violations of intellectual property in Thailand, noting that only a few major violators were apprehended in the past.
Stressing that major violators had been arrested and that seized items would be burned soon, Mrs. Puangrat declined to comment on reports that Washington may further downgrade Thailand from the current priority watch list to the priority foreign country during the upcoming review.
The US may employ drastic trade measures against Thailand if this country is moved to the status of "priority foreign country", she said, adding that the measures should not violate the World Trade Organization's rules. (TNA)-E111
Business News : Last Update : 16:34:34 26 January 2008 (GMT+7:00)
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