A new electronic registry system called Myanmar Companies Online (“MyCo”) is to be launched with the coming into force of the new Myanmar Companies Law 2017 (“MCL”) on the 1st of August. The Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (“DICA”) is introducing MyCo with the purpose of streamlining company filings and making the process more transparent ...
Myanmar continues to generate intense investor interest in what remains one of the world’s largest frontier markets. Ever since 2011 when the country first opened its doors to foreign investment and participation, its economy has continued to surge with greater diversification of its markets and deepening sophistication of its consumer base ...
Pursuant to Directive No. 7/2022 issued by the Central Bank of Myanmar (“CBM“), relaxing the application of Notification 12/2022 (“De-dollarization Notification“), inter alia, for the Myanmar Investment Commission (“MIC“) and Special Economic Zone companies, exporters and importers conducting activities under Myanmar-China and Myanmar-Thailand border trade, international organizations, INGOs, etc ...
The year 2021 was marked by several changes in Myanmar. The change in government, along with the COVID-19 crisis, led to significant legislative developments that may have not yet been tracked by legal experts and industry players ...
One of the significant issues in the past has been that most international banks have not conducted direct banking transactions with Myanmar banks. This was at least partially due to Myanmar being on an international black list that discourages banks from countries that are a “member” from transacting business with banks from countries on the list ...
The Myanmar Food and Drug Board of Authority (“FDA“) under the State Administration Council (“SAC”) has issued a notification on labeling standards for pre-packaged foods, called “Labeling Order for Pre-packaged Foods” (“Order“). The Order was followed by two directives detailing the criteria for edibles that do not require a date of production and for a revised classification of edible products (“Directives“) ...
In January 2022, Thailand’s Trade Competition Commission (“TCC”) issued three merger decisions that provide important guidance on the application of Thailand’s merger regime. Pursuant to Section 51 of the Trade Competition Act B.E ...
Article by Anne Coulon, Regional Legal Adviser, DFDL Thailand Mediation is a confidential, fast, flexible and cost-effective dispute resolution (“DR”) method based on the mutual consent of the involved parties. Companies, contractors, individuals, banks, real estate owners, governmental bodies; or any combination thereof may be parties to commercial mediation. Breaches of contract, business torts etc. can all be successfully submitted to and/or resolved through mediation ...
Earlier this month, the DFDL Myanmar Tax Team organized a well-attended webinar ‘How to Manage Your Tax affairs in Myanmar During the COVID-19 Crisis’. Jack Sheehan (Partner & Head of the Regional Tax Practice), Diberjohn Balinas (Senior Tax Manager) and Nay Nay Eaint (Tax Manager) shared their insights on how to deal with important tax-related matters during the COVID-19 pandemic and the kinds of tax relief that affected businesses may claim ...
On 21 November 2018, Thailand introduced a new transfer pricing law which became effective for the fiscal year commencing on 1 January 2019. Thereafter, the Thai Revenue Department (“TRD”) amended and revised the Thai Revenue Code by enacting Royal Decree No. 47 (“RD47”). Under RD47, companies established under Thai law are subject to TP documentation rules if they have annual turnover of at least THB 200 million (USD 6 million) ...
While the initial rush of foreign investors to Myanmar slowed down in 2015, likely due to the November elections, 2016 is predicted to be a year of rapid growth. The almost complete transition of power to Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), formerly in opposition, represents an impressive step forward to stability for the nation, and to opening up to the world ...
The Ministry of Finance of the Lao PDR has issued the Notification on the Implementation of the Tax Obligations of the E-Commerce and Digital Platform No. 0541/MOF, 24 February 2022 with the purpose to disseminate the Decree on Electronic Commerce No. 296/Gov, 12 April 2021 and the implementation of the tax obligations of the e-commerce and digital platform business operators in the Lao PDR. 1 ...
On 10 February 2021, the Ministry of Finance has issued a Notification (? 0831/MoF) regarding the issuance of Taxpayer Identification Numbers (“TIN“) for individuals ...
Lao PDR is following the regional trend of taxing the activities of non-resident E-Commerce and digital platform service providers. In this client update, we provide the key features and our commentary on the Ministry of Finance’s Notification on the Implementation of the Tax Obligations of the E-Commerce and Digital Platform No. 0541/MOF, dated 24 February 2022 (“the Notification”) ...
The hydropower ambitions of the Lao PDR are well known. The aspiring “battery of Asia”, the Lao PDR has proven successful at attracting and maintaining hydropower investment in recent years ...
The Prakas No 087 essentially defines the terms of land development, conditions and procedures to obtain and issue approvals on land development, the competent authority, rights and obligations of land development, conditions on state land development, land development complaints and penalties for conducting land development without required approvals ...
As June 2022 approaches, many companies in Thailand are focusing on and racing towards the implementation of compliance mechanisms in advance of the adoption of the Personal Data Protection Act (“PDPA”), Thailand’s new and all-encompassing data protection legislation. This new law will significantly impact businesses that handle personal data. It sets out heavy fines and penalties which will be imposed upon organizations that mishandle clients’ personal data ...
As the stock exchange market in the country develops, in addition to the regular auction trading method, block trades or special crossings (via the NTM) are also permitted, whereby the buyer and seller of listed shares can directly negotiate and agree upon the conditions of their transaction ...
We would like to share with you a Power and Energy-related update to PDP VIII as below: Per the Prime Minister’s instruction at Official Letter No. 182/LDCP dated 10 June 2022 on Power Development Plan (“PDP”) VIII, the Vice Prime Minister Le Van Thanh’s directives in June 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (“MOIT”) has just reported to the Prime Minister under its Official Letter No ...
The opening year of this decade was sadly and tumultuously marked by the many public health challenges, travel restrictions, border closures, fears and economic hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic across the globe ...
With COVID-19 vaccination campaigns nearing completion or still in progress in various countries across Southeast Asia, our experts take this opportunity to look at some of the top questions and concerns on the minds of employers and employees when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination considerations ...
Article by Pisut Ratwong, Founder of Pisut and Partners, and Anne Coulon, Regional Legal Adviser of DFDL An injunction is a Court order that enjoins a party either to perform a specific act, or to refrain from doing the same. ‘Interlocutory’, ‘Temporary’ or ‘Interim’ injunctions are used interchangeably. An injunction can serve as a guarantee that a debtor will return money or any liabilities to the applicant ...
Article by Anne Coulon, Regional Legal Adviser of DFDL, and Pisut Rakwong, Founder of Pisut and Partners. When a dispute arises and arbitration proceedings loom, parties often need to obtain emergency relief via an injunction or an interim measure. Thailand is a party to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, and the country’s main arbitration law is the Thai Arbitration Act 2002 (“TAA”, amended in 2019) ...
