東南アジアにおける商業用不動産部門はダイナミックで革新的な分野であるが、企業は複雑な法的課題にも直面している。国境や規制を越えた不動産投資により、この地域の企業は、各法域の規則や手続を明確に理解することが要求される法的環境に直面している。 Tilleke&Gibbinsの法律専門家によって執筆された「東南アジアにおける商業不動産法（Commercial Real Estate Law in Southeast Asia）」は、商業不動産部門に関与する企業に関連する法的問題に対処する包括的な情報源である。このガイドでは、カンボジア、ラオス、ミャンマー、タイ、ベトナムにおける商業用不動産法の微妙な差違を明らかにし、これらの国々における不動産取引を規制する規制の枠組みと法的環境の概要を提供している。 ガイドの中には、各国に特化した詳細なセクションがあり、商業用不動産の状況を形作る法的手段、規制当局、手続要件についての深い洞察を提供している。各セクションでは、許可されている不動産活動、制限されている不動産活動、およびコンプライアンス違反に伴う責任と罰則について概説している。 東南アジア商業用不動産法の完全なガイドは、下のボタンから入手できます。   備考：本和文は英文記事を翻訳したものです。原文については、以下のリンクをご参照ください。 Commercial Real Estate Law in Southeast Asia

On November 6, 2023, Thailand’s Department of Lands issued a circular letter clarifying that the use of units in condominium buildings for hotel business operations is not allowed. Circular Letter No. Mor Tor 0517.3/Wor 23302, which was sent to all provincial governors in Thailand, explains this by emphasizing that although the Condominium Act (No. 4) B.E. 2551 (2008) rules that some condominium units can be used for commercial operations purposes, the term “commercial operations” does not include hotel business operations. This is in accordance with the Condominium Act’s primary aim of safeguarding the rights of condominium unit owners for residential purposes rather than for the purpose of commercial or hotel business operations. The circular letter also references Opinion of the Council of State No. 710/2550, which specifies that the commercial operations allowed under the Condominium Act are those providing services to the co-owners of a condominium building (e.g., convenience stores and restaurants) and further specifies that these commercial condominium unit areas must have separate exits and entrances that do not disturb the residents of the condominium building. In light of these considerations, using a condominium building for hotel business operations is not permissible, regardless of whether consent is obtained from the co-owners of the condominium building or whether the condominium building’s purpose is changed from residential to hotel purposes (whether in whole or in part). To use a condominium building for hotel business operations, the building owner would have to first cancel the condominium building’s registration under the Condominium Act so that it is no longer regarded as a condominium building. Then it can be used for hotel business operations, provided that the building and business operator comply with the requirements under the hotel law and other relevant laws and regulations (e.g., Building Control Act, Town and Country Planning Act, and others). For

ミャンマー商務省は、意匠法に基づく意匠登録に関する詳細な手続およびガイドラインを定めた意匠法規則を公布した。2023年9月29日付の告示No. 67/2023による規則の発表は、2019年の制定以来、施行が保留されている意匠法の施行に先立つ重要な進展である。 新たに公布された意匠法規則は、意匠法が施行される日から施行される。当該規則は、代理人の選任、審査、異議申立、優先権主張、登録、そして、譲渡・ライセンスなど、意匠関連事項の実質的な手続を定めている。   [1] 登録出願 意匠法および意匠法規則が施行され、出願手数料および様式が利用可能になると、個人および法人は、電子的に、（現地代理人によるものを含む）直接、または郵送により、知的財産局に意匠登録出願を行うことができる。ミャンマーにおいて法人化されていない又は居住していない出願人は、所定の様式により現地代理人を選任しなければならない。この様式は、出願人が法人化されている又は居住している国の公証人により公証を受けている必要がある。   [2] 出願要件 ミャンマーは、ロカルノ協定によって定められた最新のロカルノ分類に従う。意匠登録出願は、ミャンマー語または英語により行うことができ、次の事項を含まなければならない。 出願人の氏名、住所、ID番号（個人のパスポートまたはミャンマー国民登録証番号（Myanmar citizenship scrutiny card number）、法人の法人ID番号） 該当する場合、現地代理人を選任する公証された様式 該当する場合、所定の様式を使用し、創作者の氏名、国籍および住所 意匠に関連する物品のロカルノ分類および下位分類 意匠の図面、写真またはグラフィック表現 ロカルノ分類に記載された物品の表示 意匠の表示を説明する説明書（100字以内） 意匠の数（最大100まで；すべての物品は同じロカルノ分類に属していなければならない） 該当する場合、公開延期の期間 なお、出願手数料および意匠関連事項の様式は、関係当局によりまだ公表されていない。   備考：本和文は英文記事を翻訳したものです。原文については、以下のリンクをご参照ください:  https://www.tilleke.com/insights/myanmar-issues-industrial-design-rules

Under Thailand’s Royal Decree on Digital Platform Services, domestic and in-scope overseas digital platform operators that are required to notify the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) of their operations must do so by November 18, 2023 (or by August 20, 2024, for small or low-impact platforms). This step is one of the essential requirements of the royal decree. Other key information on complying with the royal decree is as follows: The royal decree aims to regulate the operation of “digital platform services,” which refers to the provision of electronic intermediary services that create a connection between consumers, merchants or businesses, or other types of users in order to create an electronic transaction in whole or in part, regardless of whether a service fee is charged. The regulated digital platform services do not include digital platform services intended for offering the goods or services of a single digital platform service operator or an affiliated company that is an agent of the operator, irrespective of whether the goods or services are offered to third persons or to affiliated companies. The royal decree has extraterritorial effect, whereby overseas operators targeting the Thailand market are subject to the royal decree if their services are accessible in Thailand. Overseas operators are required to appoint a local coordinator in Thailand to coordinate with the ETDA. Compliance and Enforcement The ETDA released nine subordinate regulations under the royal decree; these took effect on August 21, 2023 (except for rules on platforms’ terms and conditions, which will take effect on January 3, 2024). Some important points on compliance and enforcement in the subordinate regulations, along with procedural guidance, are listed below. The ETDA has been emphasizing that both domestic and overseas digital platform operators need to notify the ETDA of their operations within the specified timeline (i.e., by November 18, 2023). Notifications must use the provided

Vietnam’s new Law on Protection of Consumer Rights No. 19/2023/QH15 (CPL 2023) was promulgated by the National Assembly on June 20, 2023, and will replace the existing Law on Protection of Consumer Rights No. 59/2010/QH12 (CPL 2010) when it enters into effect on July 1, 2024. The main points of interest of the CPL 2023 are summarized below. 1. Definition of Consumer Under the CPL 2023, a consumer is defined to be “a person who purchases and/or uses products, goods and services with the aim of consumption for daily needs of individuals, families, or organizations, and not for commercial purposes” (Article 3.1). Compared to the CPL 2010, this definition introduces the phrase “and not for commercial purposes” to emphasize the exclusive focus on the consumption of goods and services. However, the CPL 2023 retains the use of the term “person” for defining a consumer, leading to uncertainty regarding whether an organization or a family can qualify as a consumer. Similarly, the CPL 2023, as in the CPL 2010, maintains an ambiguous comma between “purchase” and “use,” so it remains somewhat ambiguous whether purchase (without use) or use (without purchase) of goods/services is sufficient to qualify as a consumer under the law. 2. Vulnerable Consumers The CPL 2023 introduces a new concept known as the “vulnerable consumer.” This term pertains to a consumer who, at the time of purchase or use of products/services, is potentially subject to various adverse situations in terms of information access, health, property, or dispute settlement. This category encompasses individuals such as the elderly and disabled, children, ethnic minorities, people of remote or economically difficult regions, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers of infants under 36 months, individuals with severe illnesses, and members of poor households (Article 8.1). The rights and privileges of vulnerable consumers must be safeguarded in compliance with this law

Insurance specialists from Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok office have provided an update to the Thailand chapter of Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law guide to insurance and reinsurance. The guide is a Q&A-style overview of insurance and reinsurance law in dozens of jurisdictions worldwide. The Thailand contribution provides a detailed overview of the legal framework for the insurance and reinsurance market in Thailand, covering the following issues: Market trends; Regulatory framework; Authorization for insurers and reinsurers and insurance intermediaries, exemptions and foreign insurers, fronting, legal forms, and restrictions on insurance activities; Ownership restrictions; Ongoing requirements and penalties for noncompliance; Sales and marketing; Transfer of risk; Reinsurance contracts and risks; Contracts and policies, including content requirements and common clauses, implied terms, customer protections, and standard policies or terms; Dispute resolution; Insovency; Tax; InsurTech; and Reform. Practical Law produces a number of guides to key legal practice areas around the world for business lawyers. Tilleke & Gibbins contributes many overviews to these guides for all of the firm’s jurisdictions in Southeast Asia. To read the full Thailand insurance and reinsurance chapter, please visit the Practical Law website.

The commercial real estate sector in Southeast Asia is a dynamic and innovative space, but businesses also face an array of complex legal challenges. With real estate investments transcending borders and regulations, businesses in the region confront a legal environment that demands a clear understanding of the rules and procedures in each jurisdiction. Authored by legal experts at Tilleke & Gibbins, Commercial Real Estate Law in Southeast Asia is a comprehensive resource that addresses the legal issues relevant to enterprises involved in the commercial real estate sector. The guide explores the nuances of commercial real estate law in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, providing an overview of the regulatory framework and legal environment governing property transactions in these countries. Within the guide, readers will find detailed sections dedicated to each country, offering in-depth insights into the legal instruments, regulatory authorities, and procedural requirements that shape the commercial real estate landscape. Each section outlines the real estate activities that are permissible, those that are restricted, and the associated liabilities and penalties for noncompliance. The full Commercial Real Estate Law in Southeast Asia guide is available through the button below.

A Resounding Victory The last days of October brought some excitement for one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world, Novartis, when its patent litigation case in Vietnam against a local generic manufacturer, which had stretched over more than eight years, finally came to an end. The background of this case is quite simple. Novartis was the owner of a patent protecting the active ingredient vildagliptin, which was commercialized through its Galvus® product, a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes. In 2015, the company found that a drug manufacturer in Vietnam’s Binh Duong province on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City was producing a medicinal product containing the vildagliptin active ingredient—an infringement of its patent. Novartis first submitted a request to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) to apply administrative sanctions on this infringer. Subsequently, the MOST Inspectorate concluded in July 2015 that the defendant had committed patent infringement and ordered them to stop producing the infringing drugs and recall them from the market. However, the defendant did not comply with the conclusion, and sought an appeal while it continued to produce the infringing medicine. Realizing that administrative sanctions were not strict enough to deter the defendant, Novartis continued to protect its legitimate rights and interests by initiating a lawsuit at the provincial court where the defendant was headquartered, Binh Duong. Novartis claimed that the defendant had infringed the patent and requesting the defendant to compensate for damages at the highest level allowed by law, pay attorney fees, and publicly apologize to Novartis in specialized newspapers. This began a long journey full of challenges that finally ended with the second appellate judgment declared by the High People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City on October 17, 2023. The court accepted all claims raised by the plaintiff, Novartis, that