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Technology

Technology

Key Contacts

Cambodia

Indonesia

Laos

Myanmar

Thailand

Vietnam

OVERVIEW

Innovative Legal Solutions for Southeast Asia's Evolving Tech Landscape

Tilleke & Gibbins is a recognized leader in the technology sector, renowned for delivering expert legal counsel across Southeast Asia. Our strong track record includes advising a diverse clientele—from pioneering startups to multinational tech giants—on all aspects of the launch, implementation and use of technology in the region. Our comprehensive legal services cover key areas such as AI and robotics, blockchain, cybersecurity, data centers and data protection, digital assets and cryptocurrencies, fintech, IoT, OTT services, SaaS, and telecoms.

We assist AI and robotics companies, digital platform operators, e-commerce platforms, fintech providers, SaaS companies, technology manufacturers, and telecom players in navigating and addressing evolving legal, commercial, and regulatory challenges amidst rapid technological advancements. Leveraging our deep market insights, industry expertise, and local knowledge, we develop robust strategies that help clients manage risk and capitalize on new opportunities. We work seamlessly across practice areas to offer holistic legal solutions aimed at protecting, commercializing, and driving innovation in the increasingly regulated technology landscape of Southeast Asia.

Experience

  • Advised one of the largest telecommunications firms in Japan on offering mobile and cloud-based services in Southeast Asia. We advised on company establishment, licensure, and regulations pertaining to various services and business models.
  • Represented a major U.S. telecommunications and software vendor in negotiations with five Thai mobile telecom operators to deploy mobile number portability (MNP) in Thailand. We successfully negotiated the deal to full deployment, which included a build operate and agreed optional transfer build out. We also handled the formation of the client’s Thai subsidiary and associated visa/work permits and required Thai bank guarantees. MNP is now up and available in Thailand, and we continue to advise the client on mobile virtual network operator regulations and the offering of SMS services.
  • Advised Voice over IP (VoIP) operators on numbering regulations and related business issues.
  • Represented credit card network operators and electronic payment companies on licensing and regulatory requirements.
  • Advised multinational telecommunications operators on data privacy, data retention, and lawful interception.
  • Advised a consortium of financial institutions on telecommunications laws in connection with their bids to provide credit facilities (totaling THB 15.85 billion) to a major telecommunications operator for the expansion of a 3G mobile network and infrastructure.
  • Advised a global technology company on the launch of a network game platform in Thailand; including counseling on censorship and obscenity laws.
  • Advised a leading global Internet brand and an international video game company on website development, Internet services, and the legal implications of same.
  • Advised a Japanese-Chinese joint venture on the regional broadcast distribution of an animated television series, including advising on intellectual property assignment and registration in preparation for licensing and merchandising opportunities.
  • Assisted a producer of real-time strategy games with the launch of their latest offering in Thailand. Much of our work focused on localizing business approaches and terms of use. The game went on to meet with considerable success, both in Thailand and overseas.
  • Advised a multinational media company on a regional copyright dispute in the broadcasting field.
  • Advised a leader in wireless technology on government authorities related to the telecommunications industry.
  • Liaised with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) on behalf of our client, an operator of a social-media website, to ensure compliance with the Computer Crime Act and, as a result, successfully prevented the website from being banned by the MICT.
  • Helped a multinational company establish a foreign direct investment company engaged in the import/export and distribution of mobile phones and computers.  The established company is one of the few foreign-owned companies permitted to do business in this sector in Vietnam.
  • Provided in-depth advice to a global software solutions provider on doing business in Vietnam.

PROFESSIONALS

RELATED INSIGHTS

August 25, 2026
Vietnam has enacted a new decree establishing administrative penalties for violations in the fields of cybersecurity and personal data protection. Decree No. 330/2026/NĐ-CP (Decree 330), issued and effective from August 19, 2026, provides a detailed sanctions framework for noncompliance with the Law on Personal Data Protection (including its implementing regulations under Decree 356/2025/ND-CP) and the Law on Cybersecurity, together with their guiding decrees. The issuance of Decree 330 signals that the practical grace period previously perceived by many businesses may be drawing to a close, with active regulatory enforcement in these areas expected to commence in earnest. Scope and Key Provisions Decree 330 has extraterritorial effect and applies to both onshore and offshore companies. For offshore companies, it applies to those that (1) provide telecommunications, internet, online-content, information-technology, cybersecurity, or cross-border services and (2) are involved in or related to the processing of personal data of Vietnamese citizens and certain other people of Vietnamese origin. Decree 330’s key provisions cover the following areas: Administrative penalties for violations relating to the protection of national security and public order in cyberspace, including the dissemination of unlawful, false, or unverified information. Sanctions for cyberattacks, unauthorized access, introduction of harmful code or programs, and failure to cooperate with specialized cybersecurity forces. Sanctions for personal data protection violations, such as consent, cross-border data transfers, impact assessments, breach notification, and data-subject rights, among others—with maximum fines of up to 5% of an organization’s preceding-year revenue for cross-border transfer violations, or up to VND 3 billion for other data-protection breaches. Personal Data Protection Penalties The key sanctions for personal data protection violations are as follows: Consent violations: Fines of up to VND 70 million (approx. USD 2,642), plus potential additional sanctions and remedial measures including irreversible deletion of personal data collected without consent and confiscation of
August 25, 2026
Thailand’s Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) is studying potential new regulatory measures for digital platform services that could significantly expand the country’s digital platform governance framework. The ETDA has already conducted one public consultation session on the proposed measures and will hold additional sessions on August 25 and September 2, 2026, covering five types of platform services under the Royal Decree on Digital Platform Services B.E. 2565 (2022). The measures under study are preliminary and may be changed based on consultation outcomes. Foundational Measures Applicable to All Platform Types Seven baseline obligations would apply across all digital platform categories: Transparency reports. Platforms must prepare and publish statistical reports on platform governance activities, including the number of content items removed or restricted and appeal outcomes, in a comparable format. Notice and action mechanism. Platforms must establish minimum standards for channels to report potentially illegal content or goods, conduct case-by-case review, provide explanations when content is removed or restricted, and maintain an internal appeals channel. Rights over automated decision-making. Users significantly affected by automated decisions are granted rights to request an explanation, request human review, and contest the decision. Service level agreements (SLAs). Platforms must publish minimum standards for response times, processing timelines, progress notifications, and remedies for incidents on the platform. Labeling of AI-generated content. Content generated or modified by AI must carry visible labels and machine-readable metadata, with exceptions for creative works that disclose AI use in a nonmisleading manner. Prohibition of dark patterns. User interface designs that deceive, coerce, or distort user decision-making are prohibited, including hiding critical information, creating false urgency, or making service cancellation unreasonably difficult. Business user fairness. Platforms must meet minimum standards for the treatment of sellers, workers, and content creators, including advance notice of term changes, explanation of account suspensions or visibility reductions,
August 20, 2026
Thailand has established a new cross-ministerial committee to oversee data center operations nationwide. On August 5, 2026, the Thai cabinet approved the Prime Minister’s Office Regulation on the Data Center Business Policy Committee, which was published in the Government Gazette on August 13, 2026, and is now in effect. The regulation reflects the government’s policy to elevate Thailand’s digital economy and promote investment in digital infrastructure and AI. The key features of the new committee are outlined below. Definition of “Data Center” Under the regulation, “data center” is defined as a building, premises, or structure that uses electronic equipment to provide services related to the collection, storage, processing, hosting, or transmission of data by electronic means to third parties that are not affiliates, as further determined by the Data Center Business Policy Committee. Committee Composition The committee will be chaired by a deputy prime minister designated by the prime minister, and will have three vice-chairs comprising the ministers of digital economy and society, interior, and energy. The committee also includes 12 ex-officio members: the permanent secretaries of finance, agriculture, natural resources, energy, interior, digital economy, industry, and commerce; the secretaries-general of the Board of Investment (BOI), Energy Regulatory Commission, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), and National Water Resources Office; and the director of the Energy Policy and Planning Office. Up to three expert members may be appointed by the prime minister for two-year terms, renewable once. The secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) serves as member and secretary, with up to two NESDC officials serving as assistant secretaries. Powers and Duties The committee is empowered to: Propose policies, standards, and operational frameworks for government agencies in approving, licensing, issuing investment promotion certificates, or providing services to data center operators in Thailand; Study, analyze, and
August 14, 2026
Thailand’s Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) has issued guidelines clarifying the boundaries between permissible and prohibited activities for unlicensed individuals—including influencers, bloggers, and content creators—when communicating about insurance products on social media. The Good Practice Guidelines for Persons Not Licensed as Insurance Agents or Brokers Regarding the Dissemination of Insurance Content Through Digital Media B.E. 2569 (2026) took effect on July 24, 2026. Activities Requiring a License The guidelines reserve the following activities for licensed agents and brokers: Soliciting or facilitating insurance contracts. Providing personalized advice on product suitability. Recommending policy cancellation to purchase promoted products. Creating links that facilitate contract formation. Receiving performance-based compensation tied to policies or premiums generated. Importantly, boilerplate disclaimers such as “this is not a recommendation to buy insurance” will not shield individuals from liability if the OIC views the content as personalized advice or solicitation. Permitted Activities Unlicensed persons may present general educational content about insurance—such as explaining terminology, sharing industry statistics, reporting news, or sharing personal experiences—provided the content does not target specific individuals to purchase from specific companies. The guidelines also set out best practices for communication, including presenting information in a fair and balanced manner that covers both benefits and limitations, encouraging consumers to read policy terms and consult licensed professionals, verifying information from credible sources before dissemination, and exercising special care when the audience may include vulnerable groups such as persons aged 60 and older. Prohibited Practices Prohibited practices include fear-based marketing, creating artificial urgency, omitting material limitations, making exaggerated claims, falsely claiming professional credentials, using fake engagement mechanisms, and sharing false or misleading content. The guidelines also reinforce the prohibitions under section 83 of the Life Insurance Act B.E. 2535 and section 78 of the Non-Life Insurance Act B.E. 2535 against soliciting insurance contracts with foreign operators
AWARDS & RANKINGS
April 16, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been recognized in the In-House Community (IHC) Firms of the Year 2025, with acknowledgments across a broad range of practice areas in Thailand and Vietnam. The results are based on feedback from in-house counsel across Asia Pacific, reflecting client perspectives on the quality and responsiveness of legal services. In Thailand, the firm received recognition in 13 categories, including 12 Firm of the Year awards and one Honorable Mention. The Firm of the Year recognitions cover: Antitrust / Competition Capital Markets Corporate & M&A Employment Energy & Projects Intellectual Property International Arbitration Litigation & Dispute Resolution Restructuring & Insolvency Taxation Technology, Media & Telecommunications Most Responsive International Law Firm – Thailand The firm also received an Honorable Mention for Real Estate & Construction. In Vietnam, Tilleke & Gibbins was recognized in seven categories. The firm received Firm of the Year awards in: Employment Intellectual Property Litigation & Dispute Resolution Technology, Media & Telecommunications Most Responsive International Law Firm – Vietnam In addition, the firm received Honorable Mentions for International Arbitration and Real Estate & Construction. The IHC Firms of the Year recognitions are based on voluntary survey responses, client feedback, testimonials, and independent research conducted by the IHC team, rather than a submission-based or benchmarking methodology. While not intended to be exhaustive, the results provide a useful snapshot of client sentiment within the in-house legal community. The full results are available on the IHC website.
April 3, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has been shortlisted in two categories at the Financial Times (FT) Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards: Innovative Lawyers in Cyber and Data Privacy – “Digital Identity & Cryptocurrency Compliance” Innovative Practitioner – Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh The FT Innovative Lawyers APAC Awards recognize law firms and practitioners who are driving innovation in legal services and delivering innovative client solutions across the Asia-Pacific region. This recognition marks our third acknowledgment in the Innovative Lawyers category and, notably, our first-ever nomination in the Innovative Practitioner category at the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC awards. It reflects our team’s continued ability to support clients on groundbreaking, forward-looking projects across the region. The awards ceremony will take place on May 14, 2026, in Hong Kong. To learn more about the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards and to view the full list of shortlisted organizations, please visit the FT website.