About Thapthim
Careful counsel for marks and rights that matter.
A Bangkok practice with a particular focus on the detail that shapes IP outcomes over time.
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How Thapthim Came to Be
Thapthim began as a small practice in Ratchathewi in 2009, advising local apparel and textile businesses on their first trademark filings. The name — taken from the Thai word for the water chestnut, a plant known for its careful cultivation — reflects a working philosophy that values preparation over speed.
Over the years, the practice broadened to include copyright recordation and licensing work, particularly as software and creative agencies in Bangkok began seeking clearer contractual arrangements for their content. The knock-off inquiry service developed in response to client questions that kept recurring: what realistically can be done, and through which channel?
Today, the firm advises brand owners, studios, software teams, and creative agencies — Thai and international — on the specific IP questions that come with operating in or entering the Thai market. The work is deliberate. Cases are taken with the intention of understanding each client's situation well before any advice is given.
Thapthim operates from a single office in Bangkok and does not maintain branch offices. This is a considered choice. Direct working relationships produce better outcomes than distributed structures in a practice area where the specifics matter.
Mission
To provide trademark and copyright counsel that reflects the actual state of Thai law — not an approximation of it — and to advise clients in a way that respects the time and money that IP decisions represent.
Approach
Each engagement begins with a candid reading of the situation, including its limits. Clients are told what is realistic before any work begins. Documentation is prepared to be understood, not only to satisfy formal requirements.
Values
Honesty about scope. Patience with complexity. Respect for a client's pace in making decisions. These are not aspirational statements — they describe how the practice operates day to day.
The Team
People Behind the Practice
A small, consistent team whose involvement in each matter is direct rather than delegated.
Siriwan Thongkham
Principal — Trademark Practice
Advises on trademark filing strategy, portfolio management, and Madrid Protocol applications. Worked with the DIP for seven years prior to joining private practice.
Nattaporn Prateep
Associate — Copyright & Licensing
Handles copyright recordation filings, licensing agreements, and assignment documentation for studios, software teams, and creative agencies across the region.
Kanya Wattanasin
Client Relations & Administration
Manages client correspondence, inquiry intake, and the administrative side of ongoing matters — ensuring that no detail falls through the gap between stages.
Standards of Practice
How We Conduct Our Work
The following principles govern every engagement, from initial inquiry to completed filing.
Thai Bar Compliance
All advisory work is conducted in compliance with Thai Bar Association standards for IP practice. Client relationships are governed by formal engagement letters before any billable work begins.
Confidentiality
All information shared during an inquiry or engagement is treated as confidential. Non-disclosure provisions are included in every engagement letter as a matter of course.
Document Quality
Every filing and agreement goes through an internal review before it reaches a client or a registry. Drafts are checked for accuracy in class specifications, territorial scope, and term definitions.
Deadline Management
Renewal dates, response deadlines, and opposition windows are tracked in a dedicated docketing system. Clients receive advance notice before any critical date approaches.
Data Protection
Client data is stored and processed in accordance with Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act. Records are retained only for the period required for the matter and applicable legal obligations.
Clear Reporting
Status updates are provided at each meaningful stage of a matter. Clients do not need to request information about where their filing or agreement stands.
Depth of Knowledge
Trademark and Copyright Practice in Thailand
The Thai Trademark Act, as amended, provides the framework within which marks are examined, registered, and enforced. The Department of Intellectual Property handles examination and registration through its Bangkok office, and understanding the practical texture of DIP practice — which examiner patterns, which classification approaches, which opposition procedures — is central to advising clients well.
Copyright in Thailand arises automatically upon creation, making recordation a choice rather than a requirement. The decision to record, and the way a licensing agreement is structured, nonetheless shapes what a right-holder can do with their content over time. This firm has prepared licensing arrangements for software teams distributing content internationally, for music studios licensing to broadcasters, and for creative agencies transferring ownership of commissioned work to commissioning clients.
Knock-off and counterfeit matters in Thailand involve a particular set of procedural options — customs recordation with the Customs Department, police involvement under the criminal IP provisions, and civil litigation through the Intellectual Property and International Trade Court. Each pathway has different cost structures, timelines, and realistic outcomes. Advising a client on which path to consider requires an honest reading of what each can and cannot deliver in their specific situation.
For international clients, the Madrid Protocol route provides a means of seeking protection across multiple jurisdictions from a Thai basic mark or application. Thapthim assists with international filings through Thai agents connected to WIPO's system, while advising clearly on the dependency rules that govern the first five years of a Madrid registration.
A conversation costs nothing
If you have a trademark or copyright matter in Thailand and want an initial reading of the situation, reach out. The first conversation is without obligation.
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