To provide an overview of NFTs and associated legal implications, Tilleke & Gibbins collaborated with True Digital Park to present a Thai-language session offering various Thai legal perspectives on the NFT phenomenon. During the webinar, Kobkit Thienpreecha, partner and director of the firm’s corporate and commercial group; Nopparat Lalitkomon, senior associate from the same department; and Suebsiri Taweepon, partner in the firm’s intellectual property (IP) department, shared their thoughts on why NFTs are trending, analyzed existing laws applicable to the novel assets, looked at governance concepts, and provided in-depth details on NFT-related IP issues. Regulators in Thailand—like many across the world—haven’t had sufficient time to consider and implement regulations to govern NFT activity. In the meantime, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission has prohibited NFTs and several other digital assets in the country. A full video recording of the webinar (in Thai) is available on the Tilleke & Gibbins YouTube channel.

On August 16, Tilleke & Gibbins collaborated with the Thai Listed Companies Association (TLCA) to organize a Thai-language webinar titled, “Temporary Business Shutdown during the COVID-19 Outbreak” to assist business that have opted to temporarily shut down in order to alleviate financial difficulties due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand In this webinar, Chusert Supasitthumrong, partner, and Piyawat Vitooraporn, associate, both in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, discussed the criteria for temporary business shutdown under section 75 of the Labor Protection Act B.E. 2541 (1998), addressed employers’ right to government subsidies, and offered suggestions to business owners about how they can benefit from various relief measures. A video recording of the webinar (in Thai) is available on the Tilleke & Gibbins YouTube channel.

On August 5, Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh and Peerapong Pornpipatkul of Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial group in Bangkok were welcomed as keynote speakers for a session entitled “Legal Unfolded” under the Startup Starter Kit series. Hosted by Global Startup Thailand—an initiative cofounded by Startup Thailand and the National Innovation Agency (NIA)—the Startup Starter Kit series is designed to provide practical business advice to local and international entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on new opportunities in Thailand. During the session, Athistha and Peerapong led attendees through an in-depth look at common legal concerns for startups in Thailand, including extensive discussions on: local laws and legal issues to consider before fundraising; negotiating term sheets, share subscription agreements, and shareholders’ agreements; Thai cybersecurity and data protection laws; and potential exit strategies for entrepreneurs. For more information on the webinar, which was delivered in Thai, please visit the event page.

On August 5, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) named Dutsadee Dutsadeepanich as one of 89 regional representatives worldwide in its Young Arbitrators Forum (YAF). Dutsadee, who will be serving a two-year term, is joining the YAF’s South Asia Regional Chapter as the only representative from Thailand among the chapter’s 16 representatives. The YAF is responsible for the promotion of ICC’s dispute resolution services and development of the organization’s extensive network of members. The forum, which is open to representatives up to age 40, helps young professionals build up their skills and knowledge of alternative dispute resolution such as the ICC’s arbitral procedures and disputes services. The representatives also oversee events that offer young arbitration practitioners in the region the chance to foster connections with one another and learn from experienced practitioners. Dutsadee will officially assume her new role as a representative in the YAF South Asia Regional Chapter in a ceremony at the biennial ICC YAF Global Conference, which will take place virtually on September 29.