Lao Trademark Bulletin Issue 358: 599 Trademarks Published, Your Brand May Have Already Been Registered by Others

老挝商标公报第358期：599件商标公示，你的品牌可能已被他人抢先注册

ຈົດໝາຍຂ່າວເຄື່ອງໝາຍການຄ້າລາວສະບັບທີ່ 358: ມີເຄື່ອງໝາຍການຄ້າ 599 ລາຍການຖືກປະກາດ, ຍີ່ຫໍ້ຂອງທ່ານອາດຖືກຜູ້ອື່ນຂຶ້ນທະບຽນກ່ອນແລ້ວ

Published: 2026-09-04 · LaoPaniti legal guides

You are in your office in Vientiane, thinking that your brand name is not yet registered and there is no rush. But upon opening the 358th issue of the Trademark Bulletin just released by the Department of Intellectual Property of Laos, you will find that this issue alone publishes 599 trademarks, of which 131 applications are from China. This means your competitors may have quietly registered your brand name as a trademark.

What Signals Does This Issue's Data Reveal?

The 358th Bulletin published 599 trademarks, with popular classes concentrated in Class 05 (58), Class 09 (45), Class 30 (44), Class 03 (35), and Class 12 (35). These classes cover Medicine/Drug, electronic products, Food, Cosmetics, and vehicles, which are the most active areas in the Lao market.

In terms of applicant origin, China leads with 131, followed by the United States (81), Thailand (46), South Korea (43), and Japan (32). This indicates that the Lao trademark market has entered a fierce phase of "preemptive registration," especially with Chinese enterprises intensively laying out their presence in the Lao market.

First-to-File System: Whoever Registers First Owns the Brand

Laos adopts the "first-to-file" system, meaning whoever submits the trademark application first owns the trademark rights. This implies that even if you have used a brand in Laos for years, if someone else files for registration first, you may lose the right to use the brand and even face infringement litigation.

Among the trademarks published in this issue, there are several that appear to be preemptive registrations, such as "Longyang Himalayan," "JOHNNIE WALKER BLACK RUBY," "ANTTO," "MIFI," and "ORANGE." These names may be brands you are familiar with or may be related to your business. If you have not registered in time, others may beat you to it.

During the Opposition Period, You Still Have a Chance to Object

The good news is that during the trademark publication period, any interested party has the right to file an opposition. If you discover that someone has preemptively registered your brand, you can file an opposition with the Department of Intellectual Property within the publication period to prevent their registration. However, this requires you to closely monitor each bulletin and take timely action.

Rather than remedying after the fact, it is better to conduct a self-check in advance. LaoPaniti provides a free online trademark search tool. Simply go to https://www.123laoai.com, navigate to the workspace → Trademark Registration, enter your brand name, and quickly check whether it has already been registered by others.

If you are still hesitating, you might want to look at previous reports: "Lao Trademark Bulletin Issue 360: 226 Trademarks Published, Your Brand May Have Already Been Registered by Others" and "Has Your Domain Name Been Squatted? Lessons from the alibaba.la Case on Domain Protection in Laos." These cases remind us that in Laos, brand protection must be a race against time.

Don't wait until your trademark is registered by someone else to regret it. Take a minute now to check your brand name for free on LaoPaniti!

This article is compiled by LaoPaniti for reference only and does not constitute legal advice.

FAQ

Is Laos a "first-to-file" system for trademark registration?

Yes, Laos adopts the first-to-file system, meaning whoever files the trademark application first obtains the trademark rights. Therefore, early registration is key to protecting your brand.

What should I do if I find someone has preemptively registered my trademark?

During the trademark publication period, you can file an opposition with the Department of Intellectual Property. It is recommended to consult a professional lawyer and gather evidence of use as soon as possible.

How can I check for free if my trademark has been preemptively registered?

You can use LaoPaniti's free trademark search tool. Visit https://www.123laoai.com, go to the workspace → Trademark Registration, and enter your brand name to check.

Legal basis

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