You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

April 2, 2020

Hanoi Issues Further Guidelines on Implementation of COVID-19 Directive

Subscribe to Updates

On March 31, 2020, Vietnam issued Directive No. 16/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister of Vietnam, setting out a wide range of social distancing measures, which we covered in an earlier client alert (click here for details). Following this nationwide announcement, local authorities in various provinces and cities have released their own guidance on implementation of measures for preventing and controlling the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Chairperson of the People’s Committee of Hanoi (“Hanoi PC”) issued Directive No. 05/CT-UBND, under which, in addition to the application of measures as required by the Prime Minster, the Chairperson of the Hanoi PC also further detailed which businesses are considered “essential” and therefore not subject to suspension. For those operating within the jurisdiction of the Hanoi PC, the following businesses are considered “essential”:

  • General supermarkets (except for entertainment and on-site dining services); shopping malls (including general supermarkets and hospitals operating in such shopping malls); street markets (including stalls for food, fruit, vegetables, and dried food); convenience stores and mini supermarkets (except for on-site dining services); grocery stores selling fruit; tourist accommodation premises; chain stores selling agricultural products or medicines; health care services; postal services; banking and electronic payment services; television and telecommunications services; security services; petrol, gas, and oil sellers; funeral services, cemeteries, cremation services, detoxification facilities, and social protection facilities.
  • Production and trading of essential goods including production, preliminary processing, and processing of food, fruit, pharmaceuticals, medicines, medical equipment and supplies for epidemic prevention and control and national security purposes; services of electricity and water supply and environmental sanitation, livestock and poultry farms, aquaculture, clean water supply plants, factories for manufacturing medical masks, factories producing bottled water and juice, and factories and enterprises that are producing under contracts under which products must be delivered before April 15, 2020. Other than these permissible establishments, other factories, production units and construction sites are required to be closed and the employees must be off work.

Notably, neither the directive of the Prime Minister nor the directive from Hanoi specifically mention other service providers such as tax, auditing, notarial offices, etc. It appears that those service providers are allowed to continue operating based on public statements made in interviews by Mr. Mai Tien Dung, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office. However, the operation of those entities may be changed following a shift in circumstances.

Guidance for Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong Province and other localities has also been issued and the guidelines may differ from locality to locality. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at [email protected] for our further assistance.

Related Professionals

Industries

Aviation

Energy

Insurance

Life Sciences

Technology

Practices

Antitrust and Competition

Banking and Finance

Compliance and Investigations

Corporate/M&A

Customs and International Trade

Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Employment

Intellectual Property

Real Estate

Regulatory Affairs

Tax

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

July 24, 2026
As food innovation continues to accelerate, manufacturers are increasingly introducing ingredients derived from new sources, produced using novel technologies, or lacking a significant history of human consumption. While these innovations create new opportunities for the food industry, they also raise important questions regarding consumer safety. For this reason, many jurisdictions, including Thailand, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, and Singapore, require a premarket safety assessment for novel food ingredients before they can be placed on the market. The objective of this assessment is to ensure that each ingredient is safe for its intended use and level of consumption, does not present toxicological, allergenic, microbiological, or nutritional concerns, and will not mislead consumers. Scientific authorities typically evaluate the ingredient’s identity, manufacturing process, composition, specifications, anticipated dietary exposure, toxicological information, nutritional impact, and history of use before determining whether it can be marketed. Against this background, the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently took an important step toward improving regulatory transparency by publishing, for the first time, a consolidated public list of substances that have successfully completed the Thai FDA’s safety assessment process, including substances determined to be novel foods and those determined not to fall within the novel food category. The list identifies the approved substances, the corresponding manufacturers or importers, approval dates, and the approved conditions of use. Although the publication does not change the existing legal framework governing novel food approvals, it provides businesses with greater visibility into the Thai FDA’s regulatory precedents and the types of substances that have previously been accepted through the safety assessment process. The full announcement is available on the Thai FDA’s website. As the list is now publicly available, it also provides useful insight into the types of substances that have successfully completed the Thai FDA’s safety assessment process.
Read More
July 24, 2026
For businesses in Thailand’s regulated industries, the problem of “too many licenses” is one of the most familiar hurdles to getting a product to market. Take a simple example: importing the materials necessary to sell teriyaki chicken skewers. To legally do this, a business may need approvals from several different agencies—separate permits for the chicken (Department of Livestock Development), the dipping sauce (Thai FDA), the wooden skewers (Department of Forestry), and other ingredients, each under a different authority. This kind of overlap is often cited to argue for a “regulatory guillotine”—a systematic review to cut outdated or duplicative rules that slow investment and business activity. The Facilitation of Licensing and Public Service Consideration Act B.E. 2569 (2026) (Licensing Facilitation Act 2026) is Thailand’s most significant response yet to that concern. This article looks at the Facilitation Act 2026 through a life sciences and regulatory affairs lens—what it may mean for the manufacturers, importers, and distributors of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and similar products who routinely deal with several regulators to bring a single product to market. The Super License: One Approval Standing in for Many The reform with the clearest potential for regulated-product businesses is the law’s “super license” mechanism, referred to as a “main license” in the statute. Once a business obtains the main license for a regulated activity, it is automatically deemed to hold all related sublicenses issued by other agencies for that same activity, provided the activity has been designated as eligible in the Government Gazette. The Licensing Facilitation Act 2026 also creates a central application center, allowing applicants to submit a single application and pay all relevant fees at one point of contact, with the center routing the application to each agency through a shared information system. The potential benefits of this for businesses
Read More
July 23, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok-based aviation specialists have authored the Thailand chapter of Aviation Finance & Leasing 2026 from Chambers and Partners. This annual guide examines the key legal issues impacting aircraft lessors, lessees, and financiers in nearly 40 jurisdictions worldwide. In addition to the Thailand chapter, Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Vietnam chapter to this year’s edition. The Thailand chapter offers a comprehensive overview of the country’s legal framework governing all aspects of aircraft sale and purchase, aircraft and engine leasing, and aircraft debt finance. Some topics covered include: sale and lease agreement terms taxation lease registration and enforcement lease assignment/novation insurance and reinsurance debt structuring securities liens The guide also examines other matters with practical implications for the aviation industry’s day-to-day operations. Chambers and Partners’ Global Practice Guides provide in-house counsel with authoritative commentary on practical legal issues affecting business, enabling readers to compare legislation and procedures across multiple jurisdictions. The Thailand chapter of Aviation Finance & Leasing 2026 is available on the Chambers and Partners website.
Read More
July 23, 2026
Aviation law experts from Tilleke & Gibbins’ Vietnam offices have prepared the Vietnam chapter of Aviation Finance & Leasing 2026 from Chambers and Partners. Covering nearly 40 jurisdictions worldwide, the guide addresses key legal considerations for aircraft lessors, lessees, and financiers. Alongside the Vietnam chapter, Tilleke & Gibbins also provided the Thailand chapter for this year’s edition. The Vietnam chapter delivers detailed insights into the legal environment affecting aircraft sale and purchase, aircraft and engine leasing, and aircraft debt finance. Some of the topics it examines include: sale and lease agreement terms taxation lease registration and enforcement lease assignment/novation insurance and reinsurance debt structuring securities liens The guide also covers other issues influencing the day-to-day activities of aviation industry participants in Vietnam. Chambers and Partners’ Global Practice Guides provide in-house counsel with authoritative analysis of practical legal matters impacting business, enabling readers to compare legislation and relevant procedures across leading jurisdictions. The Vietnam chapter of Aviation Finance & Leasing 2026 is available on the Chambers and Partners website.
Read More