| Five
- Year Disappearance Period for Tsunami Victims
The
Government Gazette has announced in March 2006 that for any
person who has disappeared during the Tsunami disaster in
December 2004 and whose existence is in doubt, any interested
party or public solicitor may request for a court order to
declare this person as having disappeared. However, this is
applicable only if the person in question has disappeared
for five years.
US-Thailand
6th Round FTA Talks
A
75-member delegation from the US met their Thai counterparts
in Chiang Mai in January for the sixth round of FTA talks,
amidst massive protests from the affected parties. A spokesperson
from the Thai Foreign Ministry said that both countries are
making progress in the talks, such as agreeing on the approach
to determine the location of origin for export items including
ceramics, glassware and jewelry.
The
US also agreed to remove the tariffs for 74 per cent of all
Thai imports totaling USD1.28 billion (bt51 billion) once
the FTA has been implemented, and this will increase to 85
per cent over the next five years. Items such as canned tuna,
rice, sugar, processed fruit, shoes and auto parts will be
part of the 97 per cent of total Thai imports with tariffs
removed over the next 10 years, totaling USD1.6 billion.
Kwao
Krua Patent Delay Hinders Potential
An
associate professor from the Department of Biology at the
Chulalongkorn University has commented that the time involved
in registering a patent in Thailand is having a damaging effect
on local innovators. Mr Wichai Cherdshewasart, who has been
involved in the scientific development of Kwao Krua, has submitted
three patent applications relating to the development of Kwao
Krua to the Intellectual Property Department since 1998. He
has yet to receive any decision from the Department.
Kwao
Krua is a herb well used by traditional Thai medicinal practitioners
for its various properties, including breast-firming and treatment
of erectile dysfunction. In the recent years, some Japanese
companies have already patented Kwao Krua products in Japan
and two US companies are also waiting for patent registrations
to use Kwao Krua in their country. A source from the Intellectual
Property Department has disclosed that it takes a minimum
of three years for a patent to be processed on average.
Thailand
and Burma signed Regional Treaty on Crime
Thailand
and Burma joined eight other Asean countries on 17 January
2006 in a regional treaty to combat transnational crime including
terrorism. This treaty provides members of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the right to request
and provide assistance in evidence collection for criminal
investigations and proceedings. The idea of a regional treaty
was first mooted by Malaysia, at a time where transnational
crimes such as drug trafficking and migrant smuggling are
increasingly prevalent in the Asean region. |
