The Ministry of Commerce, through the Department of Intellectual Property, organized “World IP Day 2026” under the theme “IP & Sports,” aiming to use intellectual property to elevate Thailand’s sports industry valued at over 220 billion baht. The event featured two legendary Thai women volleyball players, Nong Pluemjit and Gift Wilavan, sharing their experiences on transforming their fame and achievements into sustainable income.
Supachai Sutthapan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, honored the event by chairing the panel discussion titled “Turning Victory on the Field into a New Revenue Model Through Intellectual Property.” This activity was part of the World Intellectual Property Day 2026 celebrations held at SCBX NEXT STAGE, with enthusiastic participation from government representatives, private sector members, sports professionals, and the general public.
Supachai revealed that intellectual property is a key driver of the modern economy, fostering creativity, innovation, and enhancing national competitiveness, especially in the growing sports industry, which has a trade value exceeding 220 billion baht. The income structure is closely linked to intellectual property protection and management in several aspects, including broadcast copyrights, strong brand creation and trademark protection, rights to use athletes’ images and names, and marketing support. These are crucial elements behind revenue generation and growth in the sports industry, beyond success achieved in competition.
The government prioritizes promoting Thai athletes and related parties to effectively create, use, and manage intellectual property rights to generate value, expand business opportunities, and raise the country’s competitive edge. Today’s athletes play a role as economic value creators and can use intellectual property to enhance their potential, generating income and expanding long-term career opportunities. This aligns with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) focus this year on connecting the sports industry with innovation, the creative economy, and the global intellectual property system, under the theme “IP & Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate” for member countries’ activities celebrating World IP Day.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce added that Thailand’s volleyball is a clear example of linking intellectual property with the sports industry and creative economy both nationally and regionally. The Thai national volleyball team has a strong fan base and worldwide media followers, reflecting the "brand value" created from athletes’ success and image. Regarding intellectual property, broadcasting competitions and content, as well as using athletes’ names and images, demonstrate how intellectual property plays a key role in generating value and expanding economic opportunities for Thailand’s sports industry.
During the panel “Turning Victory on the Field into a New Revenue Model Through Intellectual Property,” two true legends, Nong Pluemjit Thin-khao and Gift Wilavan Apinyapong, former Thai women’s national volleyball players, shared new perspectives on leveraging "fame" and "identity" through intellectual property mechanisms and professional brand management. Topics included extending sports success into business, protecting rights in works and images, and addressing online copyright infringement. The discussion aimed to serve as a model and inspiration for business and industry stakeholders, showing that sports can be a tangible economic asset when supported by appropriate intellectual property systems.
Additionally, experts from the Intellectual Property Advisory Center (IPAC) provided guidance on protecting rights and commercially utilizing intellectual property, emphasizing access to information, knowledge, and services from the department. This support helps the public and entrepreneurs concretely leverage intellectual property to create value. This reflects intellectual property's role not just as a legal tool but as a vital structure of the modern economy. Moreover, "sports" extends beyond competition fields to become an industry capable of generating economic value and sustainably enhancing national competitiveness.
At the event's conclusion, a Fan Meeting with the two Thai women’s volleyball legends offered fans and attendees a chance to interact closely and capture memorable moments. This friendly atmosphere helped inspire participants to confidently develop their potential in various dimensions.
The Ministry of Commerce believes that the World IP Day 2026 activities mark a significant step in elevating Thailand’s intellectual property role from merely protection to value creation, driving the development of Thailand’s sports industry on a foundation of creativity, innovation, and strong intellectual property systems. This will enable Thailand to compete and sustain its position firmly in the new global economy.
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