Residents of Thailand are surely familiar with the recent news concerning the sale, to a foreign entity, of shares in a company belonging to one of the most influential politicians in Thai history, and the subsequent assessment of such sale by the Revenue Department. The defense of such assessment, and the legal procedures related thereto, confused many. This article attempts to clarify the process.

On the heels of its 2006 entry into the WTO, Vietnam’s economy continues to show high growth and is generally considered the second fastest growing economy in Asia behind China. This article provides a brief overview on a number of important considerations for those considering investing or trading in Vietnam.

Any time that there is a reconsideration of the Thai tax system, an inheritance tax is inevitably considered. The introduction of this tax, however, has continually been rejected by wealthy people who are able to yield considerable influence at the level of policy control. Although Thailand has personal income tax, income and property acquired through inheritance are exempt from this tax. If the legatee subsequently sells the inherited properties, there is also an exemption provided in some cases.

In this text of a presentation for the 50th anniversary of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, David Lyman reflects on the changes he has observed in Thailand in the 50 years since AMCHAM’s founding.