Thai protests impact IP world

Thailand's tense political standoff between government and opposition took a dramatic turn when the military declared martial law yesterday. The Prime Minister had previously been forced to stand down and planned elections are now uncertain. The standoff has impacted IP business in several ways. Some government offices have been shu off and on or temporarily had to move. Many had been blockaded by protesters so closed for periods. Here is a brief summary of the difficulties of the past 5 months-

The IP office itself had to relocate to temporary offices including to the offices of the TOT Public Company on Chaeng Wattana Road. It moved back to its own offices recently.

There are several criminal authorities handling IP cases. The police are undertaking IP cases on an ad hoc basis only - and probably not now martial law is in effect.  The DSI's IP teams have also had to move their office from the government complex on Chaeng Wattana Road to Thailand Post Office's headquarters on the same road. A number of files are in fact trapped in the old office and cannot be actioned.  The Prosecutors at the IP court likewise had to relocate to the Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek  Road, but have recently moved back to their permanent office.

The IP/IT court. The court was periodically closed and partially relocated to the Court of Appeals on Ratchadapisek Road for a period between January and February. However, it has now reopened.

Given recent developments it is possible there will be more disruption. There is an impasse between the yellows (the urban classes, currently protesting mismanagement of the economy and wasteful populist policies) and the reds (the rural supported government, led by the Shinawatra clan). With the military threatening to take control, more disruption is possible.