The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare of the Lao PDR (MLSW) has issued Decree No.2718/LSW dated 8 July 2022 (the “Decree”) stipulating specific guidelines to implement the Notification No. 829/PMO dated 13 June 2022 issued by the Prime Minister’s Office concerning an increment of the national statutory minimum wage from LAK1,100,000 to LAK1,300,000 (please […]

In this briefing the team of VDB Loi (Vietnam) answers to the most frequently raised questions relating to the provision of foreign loans to companies in Vietnam. This article generally assumes that parties are looking to implement long-term financing for a company registered in Vietnam. Note that additional requirements may apply to certain specifically regulated […]

The Law on Telecommunications (Amended) No. 05/NA dated 16 November 2021 (the “Telecom Law 2021”) has replaced the previous Law on Telecommunications (Amended) No. 09/NA dated 21 December 2011 following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Lao PDR on 23 March 2022. However, Telecom Law 2021 has not been implemented in practice as […]

Scope of registration  On 1 April 2022, the Ministry of Commerce (“MOC”) and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (“MPTC”) issued joint Notification No. 0873 requiring  all companies registered in Cambodia to use the national domain name level 2, type “.com.kh”. Specifically, the notification requires companies registered in Cambodia to: Register a national domain name […]

In this age of automation, digitalization, and globalization, signing a document remotely or electronically is gaining momentum across the world, with various business deals and crucial documents signed through electronic means. Electronic signing is faster, better, smoother, more secure, and of course, more eco-friendly than the traditional signing method. Anyone from anywhere can sign a […]

With a booming economy, Bangladesh is set to become a middle-income country within a few years. To ensure easy access to governmental services, Bangladesh has converted the majority of its governmental services to online-based systems. The country still faces various challenges when it comes to continuing its tremendous growth while achieving its SDG[1] (Sustainable Development […]

In accordance with the notification issued by the Central Bank of Myanmar on 3 April 2022 regarding the conversion of USD into MMK within one working day, the Ministry of Commerce (“MOC”) has confirmed that it will assist importers/exporters regarding the facilitation of applications to buy USD used for their businesses with the Foreign Exchange […]

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (“BTRC”) has issued a new licensing regulation named “Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation (Licensing) 2022” (The Regulation) whereby service providers are able to obtain a license for providing various telecommunication-related services. The BTRC shall provide licenses to service providers through tenders and open allocations. The Regulation replaces the old regulation issued in […]

Recently, the Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce issued Newsletter No. 2/2022 for additional items requiring an import license. This follows previous action by the department of adding commodity lines 3070 (Newsletter No. 18/2021) and 826 (Newsletter No. 1/2022) to the list of those requiring an import license. Effective from 2 March 2022, the […]

Three years on from the issuance of the Law on Trusts (dated 2 January 2019), the Non-Banking Financial Services Authority (“NBFSA”) issued Prakas No. 003 F.S.A.PrK on 26 January 2022 on Rules for the Management, Establishment, and Functioning of Trusts (“Prakas”) to set out the rules, conditions, and procedures on the establishment of trusts, their […]

Cryptocurrency trading is not new and attracts a lot of participants. However, there is currently lacking of a full legal framework to recognize the cryptocurrency whether as an asset or goods and thus can be traded under Vietnam regulations. According to the Article 105 of the 2015 Civil Code: “1. Property is objects, money, valuable […]

The State Administration Council enacted Law No. 1/2022 on Amending the Union Tax Law 2021 (“Amended UTL 2021”) on 6 January 2022 to increase the commercial tax rate over internet services and expand the income layers of undisclosed sources of income for the financial year 2021-2022. The Amended UTL 2021 took effect on 8 January […]

Two large forthcoming telecom tower deals are poised to change the communications landscape in Bangladesh. Axiata’s Robi has recently announced it will sell all of its towers, approximately 2,470 in total. A few weeks ago, another carrier Banglalink, the third-largest carrier, announced it will sell 5,500 towers of its total of 6,500. Both processes are […]

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? […]

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 […]

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 […]

Prakas No. 100 on Conditions and Procedures of Granting Permits to Companies Providing Digital Services for Road Transportation, dated 21 June 2021 (“Prakas 100”) were recently issued. Highlights of this note Process and required documentation Time frame Validity Renewal Ongoing obligations post registration

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 […]

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 […]