The year 2015 will be a year of special importance for Thailand as well as all Asean member states, as it marks the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) as agreed on by country leaders at the 2007 Asean Summit.Section 9 of the AEC Blueprint clearly lays out the five core elements to attain the goal of having a single market and production base for the Asean region—the free flow of goods, services, investment, capital, and skilled labor.

Tilleke & Gibbins has assisted a number of clients in successfully enforcing their intellectual property rights (IPRs) at border gates by employing border control measures. This article provides detailed guidelines on how IPR owners can take advantage of the customs enforcement options available in Vietnam. The authors begin with an overview of the legal basis for border measures in Vietnamese statutes and regulations.

This article, published by Complinet Complete (Thomson Reuters Accelus), is a guide to securities and banking regulations in Thailand. Specifically, the article covers the role of the Bank of Thailand, financial institution classifications, and banking regulations (including foreign exchange, banking secrecy, outsourcing, and anti-money laundering) that were formulated through the first and second phases of the Financial Sector Master Plan implemented by Thailand after the 1997 Financial Crisis.

The 10 nation members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have committed to implement an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. As of January 1, 2010, with the full implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (now called the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement), the trading bloc has created a single market of more than 600 million people, making it the world’s ninth largest economy, with a GDP growth of 7.5 percent.

With the continued increase in foreign trade and integration into the world economy, especially since its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2006, Vietnam has taken several legislative steps to introduce export controls into its legal regime. This article provides an overview of the current status of Vietnam’s regulations on export control.

With its diverse range of consumers seeking both traditional wares and more modern Western-influenced products, Thailand, like Vietnam and many other Asean countries, has become a hugely attractive and a lucrative market for foreign and local food manufacturers alike.

The formation of a single market and single production base by 2015 will permit companies within ASEAN member states to more freely move their capital and will serve to effectively break down existing trade barriers that currently stunt intra-regional trade within the ten-member bloc. The implementation of consistent standards within ASEAN countries for each product, including related rules and regulations that conform to international standards, will, in theory, ensure the removal of such trade barriers or obstacles.

With intellectual property playing an ever-increasing role in economic development, the need to harness, promote, and protect ASEAN innovation has become more urgent as integration progresses. Among its objectives, the AEC aims to transform the region into a hub of innovation and competitiveness and ensure that the region remains an active participant in the international IP community. With ASEAN member states gearing up toward increased IP generation and with further commitments to global IP regimes, the region may soon look to sophisticated IP ownership and holding structures.