To ease the formalities of setting up business operations in Thailand, the Department of Business Development (DBD) of the Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the Revenue Department (RD), has announced that, from April 20, 2020 onward, new partnerships and companies may submit a VAT registration application simultaneously with an application to register their incorporation. Both registrations will be effective on the same day, which means that the new company or partnership will become a VAT registrant upon its incorporation.

The Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) has issued two notifications, dated April 7, 2020, regarding the method of offering for sale and issuing of insurance policies, and the conduct of agents, brokers, and banks, as part of the OIC and the Ministry of Finance’s relief measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures are temporary and are intended to address the disruption caused by the necessary suspension of face-to-face distribution channels, to avoid physical contact, and to promote social distancing.Key provisions include:

On April 7, 2020, the Immigration Department of the Lao Ministry of Public Security issued Notification No. 740 announcing updated regulations relating to the renewal of permits and visas which may expire during the lockdown period. The notification came into effect on the same date.

Domestic Travel RestrictionsOn April 9, 2020, the Cambodian government issued travel restrictions within Cambodia to prevent the progression of COVID-19 to the community transmission stage, effective from 12:00 a.m. Thursday, April 9, 2020, to 12:00 a.m. Thursday, April 16, 2020.During this period, the following are prohibited: 

On April 6, 2020, the Prime Minister of Vietnam issued Decision No. 13/2020/QD-TTg on the mechanism for encouraging the development of solar power in Vietnam (“Decision 13”). Decision 13, which will take effect on May 22, 2020, introduces a number of new incentives and mechanisms for investors in solar power projects in Vietnam.New Feed-in Tariff

Following the announcement of a state of emergency on March 26, 2020, Thailand has put in place several measures that limit international travel as part of its efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of land borders with neighboring countries and the prohibition of arrivals by almost all international commercial passenger flights. These measures have left many non-Thai citizens in the country in a difficult position, due to the potential expiry of visas during a period when travel is being widely restricted.

Faced with the specter of corporate liquidity problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thai government and the Bank of Thailand (BOT) have announced an array of measures to assist small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures range from preemptive financial support, to debt moratoria, to the granting of low interest financial assistance.Below is a chronological summary of the measures as at April 7:

On April 9, 2020, Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor and Vocational (MLVT) enacted measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections during the now-postponed Cambodian New Year holiday from Monday, April 13, 2020, to Thursday, April 16, 2020.