Tilleke & Gibbins attorneys in Vietnam have contributed the 2025 edition of Doing Business in Vietnam, a comprehensive Q&A-style resource from Thomson Reuters Practical Law that provides essential insights for companies navigating business operations in Vietnam. The guide presents a detailed overview of the country’s legal framework and regulatory environment, reflecting recent updates in Vietnamese legislation and practice. This annually updated guide offers key information on the following areas: Legal system: Structure of the Vietnamese judiciary and the role of codified law. Foreign investment: Conditions for market access, licensing requirements, foreign ownership restrictions, and investment incentives. Business vehicles: Formation and operation of legal entities, including limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, and representative offices. Employment: Employment contracts, social insurance, labor rights, and procedures for hiring foreign nationals. Tax: Overview of corporate income tax, personal income tax, value-added tax, and other tax obligations. Intellectual property: Procedures for protecting and enforcing patents, trademarks, copyrights, and other IP rights. Data protection: Compliance requirements under Vietnam’s data privacy laws, including the Personal Data Protection Decree. Competition law: Antitrust rules and regulatory oversight under the Law on Competition. Anti-bribery and corruption: Legal framework and enforcement practices aimed at curbing corrupt activities. E-commerce and digital business: Regulations governing online platforms, digital content, and cross-border services. Marketing and advertising: Laws and guidelines on advertising standards and consumer protection. Product regulation and liability: Safety requirements, product liability issues, and roles of relevant authorities. Doing Business in Vietnam is part of Practical Law’s global series of legal guides designed to support international practitioners and businesses. To access the most recent edition of the Vietnam guide, visit the Practical Law website and sign up for a free trial.

Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins have updated the latest edition of Doing Business in Thailand, a Q&A-style guide from Thomson Reuters Practical Law that offers an overview of key legal considerations for companies operating in jurisdictions worldwide. The contribution outlines the country’s legal and regulatory framework for foreign investment and business operations and reflects the latest legislative developments. The chapter addresses the following core topics: Legal system: Structure of the courts and the codified nature of Thai law. Foreign investment: Business restrictions under the Foreign Business Act, sector-specific regulations, exchange control rules, and investment incentives. Business vehicles: Overview of partnerships, private and public limited companies, and other legal entities. Employment: Labor protections, employment contracts, foreign worker requirements, and termination procedures. Tax: Corporate and personal income tax, indirect taxes, and tax obligations for residents and non-residents. Intellectual property: Registration and enforcement of patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights. Data protection: Key provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act and related compliance obligations. Competition law: Regulatory framework under the Trade Competition Act. Anti-bribery and corruption: Relevant legislation and enforcement mechanisms. E-commerce and digital business: Legal regime for online transactions and digital platforms. Marketing and advertising: Consumer protection laws and regulations affecting advertising and marketing practices. Product regulation and liability: Safety standards, liability regimes, and roles of enforcement authorities. Practical Law, a legal reference resource from Thomson Reuters, publishes a range of guides for hundreds of jurisdictions and practice areas. The insurance and reinsurance guide is a valuable resource for legal practitioners, covering numerous jurisdictions worldwide. To view the latest version of the guide, please visit the Practical Law website and enroll in the free Practical Law trial to gain full access.

On April 8, 2025, Thailand passed a resolution to reduce the government fees for registering the sale and mortgage of immovable property. These reductions are outlined in two notifications issued by the Ministry of Interior and published in the Government Gazette on April 22, 2025. The measures are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to support the real estate sector and promote property ownership. The reduced fees apply to sale and mortgage registrations for certain types of properties—detached houses, semidetached houses, row houses, commercial buildings, accompanying land, and condominium units—with a sale price, official assessed value, or mortgage amount not exceeding THB 7 million. The reduced fees apply only when the buyer is an individual with Thai nationality. The reduced rates for registration fees are as follows: Sale: 0.01% of the officially assessed value (reduced from the normal rate of 2%) Mortgage: 0.01% of the mortgage amount (reduced from the normal rate of 1%) when registered at the same time as the sale of the property. These reduced rates are in effect from April 22, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

The recent earthquake in Myanmar on March 28, 2025, that also significantly affected parts of northern Thailand and Bangkok has raised concerns about building safety and structural resilience in Thailand. This event has reminded building owners and possessors in Thailand of the necessity of understanding earthquake-resistant building standards, their legal obligations regarding structural inspections, and compliance requirements under Thai law. Under Thai law, building owners and possessors have specific responsibilities regarding the structural integrity of their properties, particularly in areas prone to seismic activity. This article lays out the key legal requirements and outlines the potential penalties for noncompliance. Structural Design and Earthquake Resistance Requirements With respect to standards regarding earthquake resistance, Thailand’s Ministry of Interior has issued the Ministerial Regulation on Load Bearing, Durability, and Resistance of Buildings and Soil Foundations to Earthquake Forces B.E. 2564 (2021), replacing a previous ministerial regulation from 2007. The current ministerial regulation prescribes certain types of buildings in 43 designated provinces to comply with seismic design standards. These 43 provinces can be categorized into three main zones: Zone 1: Areas requiring monitoring due to the potential for impact on the structural integrity and stability of buildings when exposed to seismic waves, consisting of 14 provinces (e.g., Krabi, Surat Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, etc.). Zone 2: Areas where there may be moderate impact on the structural integrity and stability of buildings when exposed to seismic waves, consisting of 17 provinces (e.g., Bangkok, Nonthaburi, etc.) Zone 3: Areas where there may be significant impact on the structural integrity and stability of buildings when exposed to seismic waves, consisting of 12 provinces (e.g., Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, etc.) For buildings located in these categorized zones, the geometric configuration of the building structure must be designed to ensure stability in resisting seismic waves. Additionally, structural