On September 14, Dino Santaniello, head of Tilleke & Gibbins in Laos, spoke in a webinar titled “Starting a Business in Laos.” The webinar, which was hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce in Laos (ECCIL), featured four business and legal experts sharing insights on how entrepreneurs, investors, and multinationals can set up a company and obtain work permits in Laos. In his presentation, Dino focused on the legal framework for business establishment in Laos and offered some practical tips on how the process is conducted locally. Together, the speakers highlighted the significant opportunity available to business operations in Laos, and discussed the competitive advantages and challenges of carrying out business activities in the jurisdiction. They also discussed taxation and financial best practices, such as opening a corporate bank account. The well-attended webinar attracted many entrepreneurs, investors, executives, and others interested in potentially setting up business operations in Laos.

On September 10, Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, a counsel in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group in Bangkok, participated in a session on the Ashton Asoke condominium dispute, hosted by YTHAC, the young members group of the Thailand Arbitration Center. The discussion was held on the Clubhouse platform and focused on the long-running dispute over the Ashton Asoke luxury high-rise condominium, which has recently returned to the spotlight after a Central Administrative Court ruling on July 30, 2021, revoked the condominium’s construction permit and other related governmental authorizations. As the condominium has already been completed and is occupied by residents, the stakes of the dispute are very high. The speakers in the YTHAC session addressed the role of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the Ashton Asoke dispute, and explained how ADR practices such as arbitration can potentially lead to a solution to the impasse.

On September 7, 2021, Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, counsel in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, will be a panelist in a webinar about how alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods such as arbitration function in relation to bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings. Titled “The Interplay between Insolvency Proceedings and International Arbitration,” the webinar is jointly sponsored by the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC) and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) as part of the THAC International ADR Webinar Series and Thailand ADR Week 2021. Joining Noppramart on the panel will be arbitration experts and professionals from Thailand and abroad. Together they will discuss the conflicts that frequently arise between international arbitration and insolvency law, as arbitration typically seeks to uphold agreements to settle disputes exclusively through arbitration regardless of the position of the contracting parties, while insolvency law aims to distribute the assets of the insolvent party between all creditors through a centralized process. The panelists will address how this tension plays out across the world, giving attendees a view of the experiences of arbitration practitioners from different jurisdictions and the challenges they have faced in relation to insolvency proceedings. The webinar is free to attend and will be held from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ICT (UTC+7). For more details, please see the event registration page.

On September 15, Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, counsel, and Dutsadee Dutsadeepanich, associate—both from Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group—will appear in a webinar titled “Commercial and Investment Arbitration in the Oil and Gas Sector,” presented in conjunction with the Thailand Arbitration Center, the Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Peter & Kim of Singapore. Dutsadee will moderate for the session, while Noppramart will be joined by three other experts from the legal industry and academia. Through their presentations, the speakers will discuss recent challenges in the oil and gas industry and how these pressures have led to an increase in complex commercial and investment arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism. One specific area of focus will be gas price review arbitration, though the speakers will also provide an overall view of the role of arbitration in the oil and gas sector, as well as how parties in the industry can incorporate arbitration into their dispute resolution strategies moving forward. The webinar, which will be in English, will be held via Zoom 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. ICT. Please submit the registration form (free) to attend.