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Copyright Act Section 9 — Who owns: employee, commissioned and state works
Copyright Act (พระราชบัญญัติลิขสิทธิ์) — Section 9.
Plain-English Summary
Section 9: a work created by an employee in the course of employment belongs to the employee-creator unless the parties agreed otherwise in writing, but the employer may release the work to the public for the purpose of the employment. Section 10: a work created under a commission belongs to the commissioner (the person who hired the creator) unless the creator and commissioner agree otherwise. Section 14: a ministry, department or other state or local body owns copyright in works created under its hire, instruction or control unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Official Text
Official Thai text at the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State. Translation summary only.
Consult official sourceParent Statute
Copyright Act
พระราชบัญญัติลิขสิทธิ์ · B.E. 2537 (1994)
The Copyright Act B.E. 2537 (1994) protects creative works of a creator in the literary, dramatic, artistic, musical, audiovisual, cinematographic film, sound recording and broadcast categories, or any other work in the literary, scientific or artistic domain (Section 6). Computer programs are part of 'literary work' (Section 4). A creator owns the copyright in the work they create, subject to conditions on nationality or residence, or on the place of first publication (Section 8). The Act contains no registration provision. In court, the plaintiff is presumed to own the work sued on unless the defendant disputes that anyone owns the copyright or disputes the plaintiff's right (Section 62). The Minister of Commerce administers the Act (Section 5).
The summary above is a plain-English educational paraphrase of Section 9 of the Copyright Act. It is not an authoritative translation. For the binding Thai text, consult the Royal Gazette or the Office of the Council of State. Educational use only — not a substitute for advice from a Thai-qualified lawyer.
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