On August 19, Tilleke & Gibbins and the Thai Listed Companies Association (TLCA) jointly hosted a Thai-language webinar to address the regulatory environment surrounding import procedures and permit applications for health products. In the first part of the session, Kasamesunt Teerasitsathaporn, partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, provided an overview of the Customs Act, explained penalties imposed under the act, identified lists of prohibited and restricted goods, shared examples of products that require a declaration of permit documentation, and highlighted notable Customs Act provisions relating to health products. In the second part of the session, Dr. Atthachai Homhuan, director of the firm’s regulatory affairs practice, related some interesting case studies involving a wide range of health products, including medical equipment, pharmaceutical products, contact lenses, and other goods. Dr. Atthachai ended the presentation with practical advice to companies about managing their importation operations in compliance with the Customs Act. A full video recording of the webinar (in Thai) can be viewed on the Tilleke & Gibbins YouTube Channel.

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 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.

Eric Meyer, a foreign consultant in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution department, was profiled in the latest issue of Thai-American Business (T-AB), the quarterly magazine of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AMCHAM). As co-chair of the AMCHAM Legal Committee, Eric is extremely active in the American business community in Thailand. He applies his unique combination of legal expertise and practical awareness of business concerns in Thailand to identify topics and organize events that are interesting and relevant to a broad range of people. In the T-AB profile, Eric recounts how he came to be involved in AMCHAM after joining Tilleke & Gibbins four years ago, and notes that participation in the group has been an excellent way to stay current with the business community and build connections with professionals across various industries. In response to a question on the outlook for ease of doing business in Thailand, Eric sounded a hopeful note, explaining that the country’s strides in the areas of streamlining and digitizing various aspects of doing business should be able to continue after COVID-19, which has actually hastened digitization in several legal areas that had previously been slower to adapt to recent technological advances. Eric now looks forward to continuing to provide important leadership to the AMCHAM Legal Committee as the country and its business community seek to overcome the persistent challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and move toward a sustainable economic recovery.