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Published on August 1, 2007

Deputy director-general Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa yesterday said the department wanted to increase the number of patents registered in Thailand 5 per cent this year and expected to achieve this by screening only the cream of new inventions. In previous years, the department has sought to increase registered patents 14-17 per cent.

"We're focusing more on quality than on quantity," she said. "A problem the world over - including in Thailand - is poor-quality innovations. In China, more than 1,200 patents have been registered, and around the world there are 55 million patents. However, only a few are ever commercialised.

"The commercialisation ratio of patents, sub-patents, trademarks and copyrighted items is terribly low, because most inventors do not know how to commercialise their work and or maximise their benefits."

Under the new programme, the department will provide comparative information to advise inventors about what kind of contracts they should strike; for example, whether they should sell their works outright or opt for fees from long-term contracts. The department will also offer advice on registration of inventors' works as patents, sub-patents, trademarks or trade secrets, to maximise their benefits.

"Thai inventors have started coming up with commercial works, such as those concerning food, herbs and energy conservation. However, they do not know what to do with their inventions. While they'll be assisted in gaining from their work, the business world will know how to commercialise it. Personally, I prefer that inventors be left to work on their inventions without having to become investors. There are too few thinkers, and they should do what they're good at," Wiboonlasana said.

Last month, the department sponsored the fifth IP Fair. The three-day event received more than 17,000 visitors, and some patent-owners succeeded in signing commercial deals worth Bt120 million. Other projects worth about Bt500 million are still being negotiated.

Wiboonlasana said the department was also planning to spend between Bt2 million and Bt5 million to set up a centre where data on inventions around the world would be gathered for public use.