Thailand said on Monday it would petition the US Federal Trade Commission to prevent a US firm from marketing rice under a brand name which it said could be confused with its jasmine variety.A spokeswoman for the Thai government, Ratana Jongsuthamanee said the US-registered ``Jasmati'' rice was causing confusion among American consumers as its name was similar to names of Thailand's jasmine rice and India's basmati.``We will ask the US to revoke the registered name to prevent misunderstanding among American consumers,'' she told reporters. Jasmati rice is sold by RiceTec, a small Texas-based grower owned by the Liechtenstein royal family.Thailand last year decided to change the trade name of jasmine rice to Hom Mali rice. However, officials said the old name was still widely recognised. Ratana said Thailand might take the step of registering the Jasmati name in other important markets to prevent it being used in other countries outside the United States.
