Wiramrudee (Pink) Mokkhavesa

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Partner

Biography

Wiramrudee (Pink) Mokkhavesa is a partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ intellectual property (IP) department with extensive experience in anticounterfeiting, brand protection, and IP enforcement for trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual assets in Asia and across the globe. Pink is widely regarded as one of Thailand’s leading IP lawyers and is ranked by numerous legal directories, including Chambers Asia Pacific (2023-), Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2021-), and World Trademark Review (2020-), among others. In 2020, she was recognized as one of Asia’s top lawyers under 40 by Asian Legal Business, and in the same year, she was recognized in World IP Review’s inaugural list of the most influential women in IP globally.

Pink represents clients across industries but has particularly strong experience helping multinationals in the automotive parts, consumer goods, electronics, and luxury goods industries in the fight against counterfeit and infringing goods in Southeast Asia. In her practice, Pink collaborates closely with the Thai Department of Intellectual Property, the Royal Thai Police, the Department of Special Investigation, the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Economic Crime Police Division, and the Thai Customs Department, among other local ministries and regulators, to coordinate and carry out raids and other IP enforcement actions.

Pink is a member of the Intellectual Property Association of Thailand (IPAT), through which she advocates for increased government action against counterfeit and infringing goods. Pink has also actively participated in several focus groups dedicated to amending IP laws and regulations and to instituting a mandatory IP course in all Thai universities to further IP awareness in Thai society.

A Thai-qualified lawyer, Pink is a member of the Thai Bar Association and the Lawyers Council of Thailand.

Experience

Developed and implemented a creative and cost-effective strategy to prevent infringement in Thailand of a 3D trademark registered in a foreign country. Although the client was unsuccessful in registering its 3D trademark in Thailand, the client nonetheless sought to prevent a competitor from importing into Thailand products that incorporated a similar 3D mark. We successfully collaborated with both Thai Customs and the Royal Thai Police and convinced Thai Customs to seize the infringing goods. The goods were confiscated and used as leverage to procure binding agreements from the opposing party to change the style of its product and satisfy other requirements.
Acquired a registered trademark from an opposing party, who used the mark with the same kind of goods as produced by our client, for only THB 30,000 (about USD 1,000).
Obtained a valid warrant and conducted a raid action within three days of receiving the urgent request from the client. At the time the client contacted us, we did not possess sufficient evidence to seek the warrant. Nonetheless, we timely acquired the necessary evidence, secured a warrant from the IP&IT Court, and oversaw a successful raid.
Liaised with the Royal Thai Police to end a predatory business tactic. As our client operates in many provinces in Thailand, a competitor filed criminal charges of “false statement” against our client in many provinces in order to force our client to spend time and money travelling to meet police officers throughout Thailand. We convinced the Royal Thai Police that the cases were related and should be consolidated and tried in Bangkok.
Forced an infringing party to change the names of its stores, change all of its signage, and execute a Deed of Execution within one week of receipt of our cease-and-desist letter. The signage of the opposing party’s coffee shop contained a device and text that was quite similar to our client’s registered trademark.

ABOUT Wiramrudee (Pink)

Languages

Thai

English

Education

LLM, University of Southern California Law School

LLM, Indiana University Bloomington Law School

LLB, Thammasat University

Insights

December 15, 2023

Lex Mundi Guide to Doing Business in Thailand 2023

As part of its membership in Lex Mundi, Tilleke & Gibbins has published an updated edition of its Guide to Doing Business in Thailand for 2023. This guide outlines the key factors for starting and operating a business in the Thai market. Issues covered include: Investment incentives Financial facilities Exchange controls Import and export regulations Structures for doing business Requirements for the Establishment of a Business Operation of the Business Cessation or Termination of the Business Labor legislation, relations, and supply Tax Immigration requirements This publication is part of Lex Mundi’s Country Guides series prepared by member firms in more than 100 jurisdictions worldwide. The guides serve as a useful resource for planning international business strategy and researching new markets. The full Guide to Doing Business in Thailand is available through the button below.

August 21, 2023

The Changing Nature of Fighting Fakes in Southeast Asia

Counterfeiting activities have been a global concern for many decades, and the problem has not yet gone away despite persistent efforts to suppress it. Significant strides have been made, but the most notable change is in the way that counterfeiters commit these infringing activities, which increasingly involve online technologies and channels. In Southeast Asia, the counterfeit industry is worth hundreds of billions of US dollars and is expected to grow even further. In tracking the size of the global trade in counterfeit goods, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the EUIPO have noted that many countries in Southeast Asia are important producers of—and have traded heavily in—counterfeit goods. These countries have also traded heavily in counterfeit goods, and advanced technology has enabled these countries to produce more sophisticated goods and sell them in more advanced ways. Consumer shift to online channels One reason for the proliferation of these activities is the demand for online shopping platforms, which increased markedly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumer behavior in Southeast Asia has shifted in the past decade due to the growth of online sales channels, such as e-commerce and social media platforms. The pandemic hastened the switch to such channels and many consumers have kept using them ever since. As merchants adapted to this trend, sellers of counterfeit goods also benefited greatly. Instead of having to be physically present in the marketplace, where they risked getting caught by the authorities, they can hide behind websites and sell counterfeit products from a stock of goods anywhere in the world. Counterfeit goods sellers have developed new ways to avoid detection and have improved their strategy for making their online profiles look more trustworthy and descriptions of their goods more convincing. This move to online channels requires consumers to be more knowledgeable and

April 19, 2023

Podcast: Tilleke & Gibbins Attorney Discusses Fight against Counterfeit Goods

Wiramrudee “Pink” Mokkhavesa, a partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ intellectual property department in Bangkok, was recently interviewed about the fight against counterfeit goods on an episode of the Bangkok Podcast. Wiramrudee is highly sought after for her expertise in combating counterfeiters across the region, and is a key resource person in Thailand on anticounterfeiting measures and intellectual property enforcement. In the podcast episode, Wiramrudee spoke about Tilleke & Gibbins’ Museum of Counterfeit Goods, which is located in the firm’s Bangkok office and displays various fake products from the firm’s intellectual property enforcement work over the years. She also laid out the staggering size of the counterfeit goods market both in the region and around the word—which has been estimated to account for between 2 and 3 percent of all global trade. Together, Wiramrudee and the podcast host discussed common questions about the impact of counterfeit goods, such as whether counterfeit goods are always harmful—even when consumers are aware that the products they are buying are fake. Wiramrudee offered reasons why counterfeits are harmful, including decreased durability and the potential for harm, as well as the impact on creators and the economy as a whole. The conversation also considered the role of the Thai government in enforcing laws related to counterfeits and how Tilleke & Gibbins advises clients on protecting and capitalizing on their intellectual property as they conduct business in Thailand. To learn more about the complex issue of counterfeit goods, listen to the full podcast episode below.

April 1, 2022

Thailand Legal Basics

Thailand Legal Basics, a valuable primer for foreign investors, explores all aspects of living and doing business in Thailand. Written by specialists at Tilleke & Gibbins in Bangkok, it is the only comprehensive English-language guide to the Thai legal system with a focus on the concerns of foreign business and investment.

Awards & Rankings

October 22, 2024

Tilleke & Gibbins Honored at IAM/WTR Global IP Awards 2024

Tilleke & Gibbins was named the winner in two categories at the Global IP Awards 2024, held on October 17 in London: Cambodia IP Firm of the Year Thailand Trademark Firm of the Year The Global IP Awards, launched in 2019, are compiled based on extensive research done by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) and the World Trademark Review (WTR) for their annual IAM Patent 1000 and WTR 1000 rankings, and recognize the world’s best intellectual property law firms in more than 70 countries and jurisdictions. The organizers note that “The winners are selected on the basis of a wide range of criteria relating to excellence, achievement, and market reputation, and serve as a testament to the outstanding work being undertaken by IP firms across the globe.” For more details on the awards, and to view a full list of this year’s winners, please visit the Global IP Awards 2024 website.

September 30, 2024

Tilleke & Gibbins Receives Top Honors at 2024 Managing IP and Asialaw Awards

At the joint Managing IP and Asialaw Awards on September 27, 2024, Tilleke & Gibbins was recognized with two significant firm-level honors. The firm was named Thailand Firm of the Year for the 13th time and Vietnam Firm of the Year for the 11th time. The awards, held at the JW Marriott Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, celebrated firms and individuals who have demonstrated exceptional legal expertise and client service across Asia. Tilleke & Gibbins’ continued recognition in both Thailand and Vietnam reflects the firm’s consistent ability to deliver quality legal services and its leadership in the intellectual property and commercial sectors. In addition to these firm awards, Charunun Sathitsuksomboon, partner in the Bangkok office, received the Thailand Female Lawyer of the Year award, acknowledging her significant contributions to the legal profession and her outstanding client work over the past year. More information on the winners of the Managing IP Asia-Pacific Awards can be found here, and a complete list of Asialaw Awards 2024 winners and nominees is available here.

September 13, 2024

Tilleke & Gibbins Retains Strong Rankings in IFLR1000 Asia-Pacific 2024

The 2024 edition of the IFLR1000 Asia-Pacific rankings, released by International Financial Law Review (IFLR), highlights Tilleke & Gibbins’ continued excellence in financial and corporate transactional work. The firm has retained its strong rankings across multiple jurisdictions and practice areas, reaffirming its position as a leading firm in the Asia-Pacific region. This year, Tilleke & Gibbins received firmwide rankings in key jurisdictions, including: Thailand Banking & Finance – Tier 3 Capital Markets: Debt – Tier 3 Capital Markets: Equity – Tier 3 M&A – Tier 2 Project Development – Tier 2 Restructuring & Insolvency – Tier 3 Vietnam Banking & Finance – Other Notable M&A – Tier 3 Project Development – Tier 3 Cambodia Financial & Corporate – Tier 2 Project Development – Tier 2 Laos Financial & Corporate – Tier 2 In addition to these firmwide rankings, Tilleke & Gibbins had several standout individual recognitions, with 10 lawyers honored in the 2024 individual rankings, including new entries for John Frangos, Niti Muangkote, Santhapat Periera, and Tram Ngoc Bich Nguyen. The full list is as follows: Charunun Sathitsuksomboon – Highly Regarded, M&A, Thailand Charuwan Charoonchitsathian – Rising Star, M&A, Thailand David Mol – Rising Star, Corporate and M&A, Cambodia Jay Cohen – Highly Regarded, Banking, Cambodia John Frangos – Notable Practitioner, Restructuring & Insolvency, Thailand (new ranking) Niti Muangkote – Rising Star, Financial & Corporate, Laos; Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance, Thailand (new ranking) Saithong Rattana – Notable Practitioner, Project Development and M&A, Laos Santhapat Periera – Highly Regarded, Banking, M&A, Laos; Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance, Thailand (new ranking) Supasit Boonsanong – Highly Regarded, Project Development, Thailand Tram Ngoc Bich Nguyen – Highly Regarded, M&A, Vietnam (new ranking) To see the full set of IFLR1000 rankings for Tilleke & Gibbins’ jurisdictions, please see the Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and

September 12, 2024

Tilleke & Gibbins Recognized in Asialaw 2024 Rankings

Tilleke & Gibbins has once again secured impressive rankings in the recently released Asialaw 2024 rankings. The firm has maintained its position as a top legal service provider across multiple jurisdictions, earning a total of 39 rankings in practice and industry groups, 19 of which are in the highest tiers. The firm’s performance continues to reflect its exceptional client service and legal expertise across Southeast Asia. Tilleke & Gibbins is recognized in all available categories for Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, demonstrating the firm’s strong presence across the region. In the individual rankings, 22 of the firm’s practitioners have been recognized, including three notable promotions and three new entries: Charunun Sathitsuksomboon (Thailand), newly ranked as a Notable Practitioner for Corporate and M&A. Linh Thi Mai Nguyen (Vietnam), promoted to Distinguished Practitioner for Intellectual Property. Loc Xuan Le (Vietnam), promoted to Elite Practitioner for Intellectual Property. Niti Muangkote (Laos), a new entry as a Rising Star for Banking and Finance. Prisna Sungwanna (Laos), newly ranked as a Distinguished Practitioner for Corporate and M&A and Banking & Finance. Suebsiri Taweepon (Thailand), promoted to Distinguished Practitioner for Intellectual Property and Technology and Telecommunications. Client feedback remains a key component of the Asialaw rankings, with Tilleke & Gibbins earning high praise for its responsiveness and commercial awareness. The firm’s sector-specific knowledge also continues to stand out, with clients expressing their appreciation of the firm’s understanding of their businesses’ operational contexts. For more details and to browse the full rankings, please visit the Asialaw website.

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