BANGKOK: Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) says the controversy surrounding an earlier application to register the “NENE ROYAL” trademark has ended after the applicant withdrew the filing.
Director-General Jittima Srithaporn said the applicant submitted an online request to withdraw the trademark application on Oct 19, ending the department’s examination of that filing without the need for further clarification.
“The department was contacted by the applicant, who expressed an intention to withdraw the application through the online system,” Jittima said.
She added that the applicant’s filings involving “NENE” and “NENE ROYAL” had therefore been terminated.
Nene’s official representative files two applications
Black Lotus Global, the US company managing the rights associated with Thai artist Rattikan “Nene Royal” Amloy, filed its own applications in Thailand on Sept 11.
The company submitted two applications covering the names “NENE” and “NENE ROYAL”.
The filings cover three classes of goods and services:
Class 9: downloadable digital music and audio files
Class 25: clothing and apparel
Class 41: music and entertainment services
Black Lotus Global had previously filed applications for NENE ROYAL and NENE in the United States.
The NENE ROYAL filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office was submitted on July 29 and covers the same broad areas of music, clothing and entertainment.
Official applications placed on fast track
The DIP has now taken the applications filed by Black Lotus Global into its examination process.
Jittima said they would be handled through the department’s Fast Track procedure.
If the applications pass examination, are published and face no opposition, the department expects the trademarks could be formally registered by February 2027.
The earlier Thai application had triggered scrutiny after it emerged that an individual had sought trademark protection involving Nene Royal’s stage name before the artist’s official representative filed in Thailand.
The DIP subsequently required the earlier applicant to explain the relationship with the artist and provide evidence supporting the right to use the name.
The withdrawal means that examination of that earlier application no longer needs to continue.
DIP monitors overseas trademark filings
The department is also monitoring trademark activity involving Nene’s name overseas.
A “Nene” trademark application was filed in South Korea in 2024 and subsequently registered in 2025.
Jittima said the department had instructed its monitoring team to follow trademark filings that could affect the rights of Thai artists as a priority.
The aim is to identify attempts by unrelated parties to register the names, symbols or other commercially valuable identifiers associated with well-known Thai performers before the legitimate rights holders secure protection themselves.
Such registrations could create obstacles when artists later seek to commercialise their names through music, merchandise, licencing or other businesses.
DIP calls case lesson in protecting artists’ rights
Jittima described the Nene Royal case as an important example of the need to protect names and trademarks associated with public figures.
She said that when a person applies to register a name or trademark already widely recognised as belonging to someone else, without an apparent relationship or authorisation from the legitimate rights holder, the registrar can require the applicant to explain that connection.
If adequate evidence cannot be provided within the required period, the application can be removed from consideration.
The department said it would continue applying trademark law to protect legitimate rights holders, including artists and creators, while examining every application according to the legal process. - The Nation/ANN
