Joining Mr Nanthaphong for his inspection were Phuket Provincial Fisheries Chief Sittiphon Muangsong along with Woranit Aphiratjirawong, Director of the Phuket Provincial office of the Ministry of Commerce.
The party visited several aquatic farms in Baan Tha Chatchai, Moo 5, Mai Khao, where seven-coloured lobsters are raised for market. The farms also cultivate Phuket pearls, the only aquatic animal in Phuket that has been given GI status.
The aquatic farmers explained their lobster-raising processes and why the lobster is special to Phuket.
The inspection visit yesterday followed Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat last month leading an event to release 700,000 larvae of the seven-coloured lobster off Koh Thanan in Chalong Bay.
The event was held as part of a ‘Phuket 7-Coloured Lobster Bank‘ project to release a total of 1.7 million younglings of seven-coloured lobster in the Phuket area.
Governor Sophon said the Phuket Fisheries Office and the Provincial Commerce Office had been assigned to accelerate the preparation of information and documents to propose that the Phuket seven-coloured lobster be registered as a Geographical Indication Product as quickly as possible.
The move was “to guarantee that the Phuket seven-coloured lobster is unique to Phuket and has not been registered anywhere”, he said.
Phuket seven-coloured lobster is already well recognised for its distinctiveness, and often is priced above B1,800 a kilo.
“Phuket seven-coloured lobster has a unique, delicious taste and is accepted internationally,” Governor Sophon said.
As defined by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a “geographical indication” (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. In order to function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place.
Among the most famous examples of GI products is French Champagne. However, GI status has been designated to many more famous products, including Scotch whisky (Scotland), Bohemian crystal (the Bohemia region within the Czech Republic), Camembert cheese (the town of Camembert in Normandy, France) and Darjeeling tea (from the Darjeeling region of West Bengal, India).
“A geographical indication right enables those who have the right to use the indication to prevent its use by a third party whose product does not conform to the applicable standards,” WIPO explains.
“For example, in the jurisdictions in which the Darjeeling geographical indication is protected, producers of Darjeeling tea can exclude use of the term “Darjeeling” for tea not grown in their tea gardens or not produced according to the standards set out in the code of practice for the geographical indication.
“However, a protected geographical indication does not enable the holder to prevent someone from making a product using the same techniques as those set out in the standards for that indication. Protection for a geographical indication is usually obtained by acquiring a right over the sign that constitutes the indication,” WIPO adds.
Protection for a geographical indication (GI) is granted by a national, or regional, “competent authority upon request”.
In some countries the function of granting GI protection is carried out by a special body responsible for GI protection. In Thailand that competent authority is the Department of Intellectual Property.
The Thai government is year years been working towards GI registration of products to the extent of “One Province One Geographical Indication”.
Among products in Thailand that already have been granted GI status are Doi Tung Coffee, Praewa Kalasin Thai Silk, Phetchabun Sweet Tamarind, Phurua Plateau Wine, Trang Roast Pork and Surat Thani Oyster.