The Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) of Thailand has formally highlighted the pending sound trademark application filed in May 2026 by prominent Thai media personality Thanawat Prasitsomporn (professionally known as 'DJ Nui'). The said application, which seeks to protect his iconic, high-pitched signature laugh, is currently undergoing substantive examination.
The examination of DJ Nui’s sound mark application marks a significant milestone in the protection of non-traditional trademarks in Thailand.
The key issues worth noting regarding this case under Thailand’s trademark laws are:
- Definition of a Mark
Under Thailand’s trademark laws, a "Mark" explicitly includes a sound. Consequently, "sound" qualifies for trademark registration.
- Statutory Registrability Criteria
In order to be eligible for registration, the trademark application must meet all of the following requirements:
- Distinctiveness: The sound mark must enable the public to distinguish the designated goods/services from those of others. It must not directly describe the characteristics or qualities of the goods/services, be a natural sound inherent to them, or result from their functional operation.
- Non-Prohibited Characteristics: The sound mark must not fall under absolute statutory prohibitions, such as being contrary to public order or morality.
- Non-Similarity to Prior Registrations or Applications: The sound mark must not be identical or confusingly similar to a previously registered trademark or a prior-filed pending application owned by another person for identical or related goods or services.
While DJ Nui's laugh is undeniably unique and widely recognized among the Thai public, the substantive hurdle is whether consumers, when encountering it on specific goods or services, would perceive it as a source identifier rather than entertainment content. This is the core evidentiary challenge to meeting the statutory definition of a mark under Thailand’s trademark law.
This trademark application marks a landmark shift in the domestic IP landscape, highlighting how public figures are adopting non-traditional trademarks not only to commercialize personal brand identity, but also to build a legal shield against unauthorized commercial exploitation driven by generative AI and voice-cloning technology.