On February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military declared a state of emergency in the country and took control of the government, arresting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other senior government officials from the National League for Democracy. The seizure of power, and the government’s subsequent actions to suppress public protest and dissent, have received widespread international condemnation.  The USA, Canada, and the UK have reacted by imposing economic sanctions on certain companies and individuals, and more sanctions are expected as the situation in Myanmar evolves. These sanctions pose a major concern for foreign investors with interests in Myanmar—concern which is exacerbated by the lack of clarity about the current situation on the ground. To address these issues, Lex Mundi is bringing together leading legal authorities on the topic from Myanmar, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom for a special webinar on March 23, 2021. The speakers, which include Tilleke & Gibbins counsel Ross Taylor, will discuss the situation on the ground in Myanmar; how the sanctions imposed this time differ from previous restrictions on Myanmar under earlier regimes; the impact of the sanctions imposed by each country; and the practical impact of sanctions on companies with operations in or relating to Myanmar. The session will be followed by a Q&A with all speakers, where attendees will be able to address any specific queries they might have. For more details and to register for this free webinar, please visit the event information page.

On March 3, Varapa Aurat, head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ tax team in Bangkok, will deliver a webinar entitled “Tax 101: What E-commerce Startups Need to Know.” The webinar, cohosted by Tilleke & Gibbins and True Digital Park—one of Southeast Asia’s largest tech and startup hubs, will give Thai small business owners an opportunity understand local tax regulations to help them ensure their operations are compliant. During the hour-long session, Varapa will provide an analysis of key tax laws in Thailand that Thai companies should be aware of, including an overview of common pitfalls for small business owners. She will also lead a discussion on whether recent amendments to the Revenue Code to impose VAT on e-services will have an impact on local operators. The webinar will be broadcast via Facebook Live on Wednesday, March 3, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. In order to register for this session, which will be presented in Thai, please visit the event page on Tilleke & Gibbins’ Facebook page. Should you have any questions or require any further information, please send an email to [email protected].

As the implementation of Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act looms, Tilleke & Gibbins joins forces with Bird & Bird Data Privacy Solutions to look at the data protection officer requirement, and what lessons can be learned from the European experience with the GDPR.

On Thursday, February 11, 2020, Tilleke & Gibbins will host a webinar entitled “Myanmar Investment 2021: Opportunities and Challenges.” Presented by Yuwadee Thean-ngarm and Nada Songsasen of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Yangon office, and moderated by Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh, a partner and director of the firm’s corporate and commercial department, the session will provide attendees with an overview of general investment law and opportunities in Myanmar and take a look at how local COVID-19 regulations and policies implemented by the Myanmar government may affect businesses in the country. The webinar will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (Thailand Time) or 9.30 a.m – 11:00 a.m. (Myanmar Time), and will be delivered in Thai. To register your interest in this free-to-attend event, please complete this registration form.  Should you have any queries, please send an email to [email protected].