In an otherwise complex context, the Public-Private Partnership (“PPP”) experience in Bangladesh demonstrates a high level of transparency from which neighboring countries in the region can learn. Highlights of this note PPP framework Procurement Government budgeting Investment and corporate laws Environment law and social impact Secured transactions law Land ownership restriction Land acquisition Procurement process […]

The Insolvency Law is required be used from now on for winding up. The section on winding up under the MCL was replaced by the section in the Insolvency Law which came into effect on 25 March 2020. However, this section of the Insolvency Law has not been applied due to the lack of applicable […]

Notably, 3,070 types of goods have been added back to the list of goods requiring import licenses as per the new Newsletter no 18/2021 dated 9 November 2021 (“Newsletter 18”) issued by the Ministry of Commerce (“MOC”). With the purpose of reviving the economy after the significant impact of Covid-19 over the past year and […]

As online sales of goods and services continue to grow in the Lao PDR, accelerated by the impact of  the COVID-19 pandemic, which has kept most of us confined to our houses and pushed in-person businesses to move online in a bid to survive, the Lao government reacted swiftly to provide a legal framework to […]

On 30 September 2021, the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (“DICA”) announced that companies holding an MIC permit or MIC endorsement can now apply for stay permits, work permits, and entry visas for foreign employees and their family members online starting from 1 November 2021 through the website: http://movas.dica.gov.mm/. Companies will first need to […]

The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is a treaty of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which entered into force in January 1995 as a result of the Uruguay Round negotiations. The treaty was created to extend the multilateral trading system to service sector, in the same way the General Agreement on Tariffs and […]

The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has issued a list of standards and rules applicable to e-commerce operators, the Digital Commerce Operational Guidelines 2021 (“the Guidelines”). Highlights of this note Are these Guidelines legally binding? To whom do the Guidelines apply? To the sellers only or also to the online platforms that facilitate third party sellers? […]

Dubbed by some “an economic miracle”, even the global pandemic has not been able to stamp out Bangladesh’s upward development trajectory. It eked out its larger neighbor India in terms of GDP growth according to World Bank reporting, at least in 2021, and its projected GDP growth for 2022 is higher than that of Pakistan, […]

Overview According to a report by Vietnam e-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency (governed by Ministry of Industry and Trade), with 53% of the population shopping online, the e-commerce market in Vietnam grew by 18% in 2020, reaching 11.8 billion USD, which accounted for 5.5% of total retail sales of consumer goods and services. According to […]

The Myanmar Investment Commission (“MIC”) released Notification 28/2021, dated 8 September 2021, regarding a support plan for the recovery of businesses in Myanmar (“Notification 28”); the MIC will issue a new MIC Permit or Endorsement to investments that suffered fire damage in March 2021. Who are entitled to apply? Notification 28 listed two main groups […]

As part of a wider enhancement of digital public services, and to improve the business and investment environment, the Royal Government of Cambodia launched Phase 2 of its online business registration platform, known as the “Single Portal,” on 1 September 2021. The move comes a little over a year after Phase 1 of Single Portal […]

Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 throughout the third wave of infection in Myanmar as well as a shortage of medicine and medical supplies in the market, the Ministry of Commerce has issued Notification 12/2021, dated 12 July 2021, granting a three-month temporary exemption for obtaining import licenses when importing liquid oxygen as well […]

On 12 May 2021, the Ministry of Commerce (“MOC”) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (“MEF”) issued joint Prakas No. 316 on Monetary Fines under the MOC’s Jurisdiction (“Joint Prakas 316”), introducing hefty fines for not registering corporate changes, the annual declaration of commercial enterprise (“ADCE”), financial statements, or trademark renewals, and for conducting […]

On 31 December 2020, the Cambodian Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (“MLVT”) announced the launch of its automated online portal for labor-related services (www.mlvt.gov.kh) through Prakas No. 430/20 on Putting in Place Public Services related to Labor and Vocational Training Sectors via an Automated System (“Prakas 430”) and its subsequent notification dated 5 January […]

In order to reduce and relieve the economic impact from the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Lao PDR, the Prime Minister’s Office has issued Notice No. 532/PMO dated 20 May 2021 (the “Notice”) specifying policies for further implementation by the relevant governmental authorities. 1. Tax policies Exemption from personal income tax for […]

Highlights of this note Some pitfalls in registering an offshore sale of shares in a Cambodian company Frequent disputes on the 0.1% stamp duty for share transfers in Cambodia Uncertainties about future capital gains tax on the transfer of shares in a Cambodian company Registering a sale and purchase of shares in a Myanmar company […]

Highlights of this note Some pitfalls in registering an offshore sale of shares in a Cambodian company Frequent disputes on the 0.1% stamp duty for share transfers in Cambodia Uncertainties about future capital gains tax on the transfer of shares in a Cambodian company Registering a sale and purchase of shares in a Myanmar company […]

Highlights of this note Some pitfalls in registering an offshore sale of shares in a Cambodian company Frequent disputes on the 0.1% stamp duty for share transfers in Cambodia Uncertainties about future capital gains tax on the transfer of shares in a Cambodian company Registering a sale and purchase of shares in a Myanmar company […]

Highlights of this note Some pitfalls in registering an offshore sale of shares in a Cambodian company Frequent disputes on the 0.1% stamp duty for share transfers in Cambodia Uncertainties about future capital gains tax on the transfer of shares in a Cambodian company Registering a sale and purchase of shares in a Myanmar company […]

On 10 May 2021, the Division of Health of Vientiane Capital (“DH.VTE”) issued Notice No. 378/DH (the “Notice”) requiring that those wishing to travel in and out of Vientiane Capital must apply for a permit from the COVID-19 Taskforce Committee to travel during the lockdown period up to 20 May 2021, or a further lockdown […]