Myanmar is at an important political and economic crossroads. Spearheaded by the reform-minded government of President Thein Sein, Myanmar has set a path toward a more liberalized democracy, greater political reconciliation, and the promotion of a mixed, internationally linked economy.

Myanmar is in the throes of substantial political and economic reform. Investors are eager to engage in the economic opportunity Myanmar has on offer, but are understandably concerned about the lack of certainty in the legal process and particularly when it comes to the resolution of commercial disputes. One reason for such caution is the fact that during its extended period of isolation, there has been a substantial and near total absence of large scale commercial litigation in the Myanmar courts.

In Thailand, the government grants special privileges to certain types of business entities in order to incentivize their creation. One such type of business entity is the Regional Operating Headquarters (ROH), which benefits from a number of tax incentives.There are, however, some requirements that must be met before a company can be categorized as an ROH. First, the company must be incorporated in Thailand. Second, the company must conduct business in Thailand by providing support services to its associated companies and/or branches, wherever they may be.

It has become conventional practice throughout the world for countries with established systems of intellectual property to offer copyright protection for computer programs. Indonesia, for example, provides copyright protection for computer programs for a period of 50 years from the date of first publication.

The Vietnamese government recently enacted a new regulation on administrative sanctions in cases of industrial property infringement. Decree No. 99/2013/ND-CP, dated August 28, 2013 (Decree 99), came into effect on October 15 of this year, replacing Decree 97/2010/ND-CP (Decree 97).

Abraham Lincoln once said, “The patent system added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius.” It was an unmistakably true statement; patents have undoubtedly become an essential tool for protecting new inventions. Not only do patents guard against the unauthorized use of an inventor’s creation, but they foster innovation by granting exclusive legal rights for limited durations.

Condominium units are valuable properties that owners often wish to see passed on to their heirs upon their death. In Thailand, there are a significant number of foreign condominium owners, many of whom are uncertain about property inheritance laws. This article will explore some of the pertinent issues surrounding inheritance by foreigners of foreign-owned condominium units.

Rights holders are looking to Southeast Asia as the next growth region. In this virtual roundtable in the November 2013 edition of Managing Intellectual Property magazine, attorneys from various law firms explain the latest changes in the region. The Tilleke & Gibbins team focused on updates in Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.