Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), together with the Federation of Thai Industries, held its first practical briefing on partial design protection around 9 July 2026 as part of the country’s domestic preparations for joining the Hague Agreement. The proposed framework would allow applicants to claim protection for a specific visible part of a product by combining solid and dotted lines, rather than having to rely on the novelty of the product’s overall appearance.
If implemented as outlined, the change should make design filings more adaptable for smartphone interfaces, automotive components and distinctive packaging. The practical gain will depend heavily on drawing discipline: applicants will need consistent views, a clear distinction between claimed and unclaimed matter, and filing strategies that avoid leaving the protected boundary open to interpretation. The reform is therefore not only an expansion of eligibility; it also raises the importance of how the design is depicted.
