Lao Trademark Gazette Issue 370: 397 Trademarks Published, Chinese Applicants Account for 94, Your Brand May Have Been Preemptively Registered

老挝商标公报第370期：397件商标公示，中国申请人占94件，你的品牌可能已被抢注

ຈົດໝາຍເຫດສິນຄ້າເຄື່ອງໝາຍການຄ້າລາວສະບັບທີ່ 370: ມີເຄື່ອງໝາຍການຄ້າ 397 ລາຍການຖືກເຜີຍແຜ່, ຜູ້ຍື່ນຄຳຮ້ອງຈາກຈີນກວມ 94 ລາຍການ, ເຄື່ອງໝາຍການຄ້າຂອງທ່ານອາດຖືກຈອງລ່ວງໜ້າແລ້ວ

Published: 2026-09-08 · LaoPaniti legal guides

You have worked hard to build your business in Laos, hung up your store sign, and distributed your products, when suddenly you receive a notice: your brand name has already been applied for registration by someone else. This is not to scare you—Laos implements a "first-to-file" system, where whoever files first gets the trademark, even if you have been using the brand earlier.

Recently, the Lao Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) published the 370th issue of the Trademark Gazette, which includes a total of 397 trademarks. If you haven't done a trademark search yet, now is the time to act.

Current Trademark Trends: Who is Preemptively Registering?

First, look at the data: among the 397 trademarks published in this issue, by applicant's country of origin, Chinese applicants account for 94, ranking first; the United States has 79, Germany 33, Japan 28, and South Korea 16. In other words, Chinese trademark applications account for nearly a quarter, making competition fierce.

Looking at classes, popular applications are concentrated in Class 12 (vehicles, 33), Class 09 (electronic devices, 30), Class 05 (pharmaceuticals, 26), Class 03 (cosmetics, 20), and Class 30 (food, 17). If you are in auto parts, electronics, daily chemicals, or food, you should be especially vigilant.

Among the trademarks published in this issue, you can also see some familiar names, such as tuhu, HBO MAX, ORACLE, etc. Big companies are preemptively registering, so why aren't you worried?

Under the First-to-File System, Your Brand May Be "Intercepted"

Laos' trademark system is "first-to-file," meaning: whoever submits an application to the DIP first gets priority for the trademark right. Even if you have been using the brand in Laos for years, if someone else files an application one day earlier than you, your application may be rejected, and you may even be complained against for infringement.

So, don't think "my store has been open for three years, so the brand is mine"—the law doesn't see it that way. The publication period is the only window for remedy. If you find that someone has preemptively registered your trademark, you can file an opposition during the publication period. But the prerequisite is that you must know about the application.

How to know? One way is to keep an eye on each issue of the Trademark Gazette yourself; another is to use a search tool. LaoPaniti provides a free online trademark search tool. Enter your brand name to quickly screen for identical or similar trademarks that are being applied for or already registered. Check it to have peace of mind.

Three Steps to Protect Your Brand

Step 1: Search immediately. Go to the LaoPaniti workbench, find the "Trademark Registration" entry, and use the free search tool to check yourself.

Step 2: Apply as soon as possible. If there are no conflicts, prepare your materials and submit an application to the DIP without delay.

Step 3: Monitor publications. Even after you submit your application, continue to follow subsequent trademark gazettes to prevent others from preemptively registering your related brands.

If you are not familiar with the trademark registration process in Laos, you can refer to our previous article "Lao Trademark Gazette Issue 371: 45 Trademarks Published, Chinese Applicants Account for 18, Your Brand May Be Targeted" (https://www.123laoai.com/guide/192), which covers some practical details.

A trademark is the moat of your brand. When doing business in Laos, don't let the "first-to-file" system become your pitfall. Open LaoPaniti now and check whether your trademark is safe for free.

This article is compiled by LaoPaniti and is for reference only, not constituting legal advice.

FAQ

Is Laos a first-to-file trademark system?

Yes, Laos implements a first-to-file system, where whoever files a trademark application first gets priority for the trademark right. Even if you use a brand first, if someone else files first, you may lose the opportunity for registration.

How many trademarks are published in this issue of the Trademark Gazette?

This issue (No. 370) publishes a total of 397 trademarks, of which Chinese applicants account for 94, the United States 79, Germany 33, Japan 28, and South Korea 16.

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 Lao Department of Intellectual Property. But the premise is that you must discover it in time. It is recommended to use LaoPaniti's free trademark search tool for regular self-checks, or pay attention to each issue of the Trademark Gazette.

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