When it comes to bad check legislation, Thailand is unique. In addition to civil remedies available under the Civil and Commercial Code against those who pass bad checks, Thailand is one of the few jurisdictions in the world in which there can also extend criminal liability. Criminal liability is evaluated under the Act Governing Offenses Arising from the Use of Checks B.E. 2534 (1991) (the Act). Under the Act, a criminal conviction may give rise to imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine of up to THB 60,000.

As deliberations over the Frequency Allocation Bill are set to continue, the Government is making other important plans for wireless telecommunications in Thailand. The Bill has now passed both the House and Senate, though in different forms. Differences in the two versions are expected to be considered in Joint Committee when Parliament reconvenes in August, though the House’s version will be enacted if differences are not settled. This article looks at expected future developments, as spectrum auctions lie ahead.

In times of economic recession there is usually an increase in the volume of litigation cases, as many companies struggle to pay their debts and creditors are often forced to pursue civil or bankruptcy claims in an attempt to recover payment. Although Thailand is not in recession, the number of bankruptcy claims filed and the number of court orders for absolute receivership has drastically risen over the last few years. In 2009, there were 23,975 orders for absolute receivership compared to 9,978 the previous year, according to statistics from the Central Bankruptcy Court.

The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for providing support in coordinating and monitoring cosmetic products in the market, announced that the requirements of the ASEAN Harmonized Cosmetic Regulation Scheme will be fully implemented by the beginning of 2011. Among the requirements, certain cosmetic products may need to be reclassified and re-registered, as described in this article.

Since Vietnam’s entry to the WTO, member countries have grumbled about Vietnam’s seemingly toothless enforcement of IP rights. In recent years, however, Vietnam has made a strong commitment to encouraging more foreign investment and protection of IP is at the foundation of this cause. A recent decision issued by the Copyright Office of Vietnam highlights the country’s commitment to protecting IPRs and may offer some peace of mind to both foreign and domestic businesses.

:)    :P    :(    :D    :-O  These symbols are not a basic series of punctuation marks and letters. They are emoticons, a portmanteau word composed of emotion and icon, signifying those iconic typographical manifestations of various emotions. Prevalently used for a decade in e-mails and text messages due to their expressive brevity, emoticons are now employed by businesses seeking to capture the attention of Gen Y, or the Net Generation, and to trademark them for commercial purposes.

The June 2010 World Economic Forum Report Enabling Trade in the Greater ASEAN Region ranked 125 economies based on market access, border administration, transport and communication infrastructure, and overall business environment.  According to the report, one of the main factors for lower rankings of certain Asian countries lies with difficulties in moving goods around.

In the last half decade, many tragic events have taken place due to Thailand’s ongoing political discord. The recent May riots resulted in incalculable damages, both public and private. Naturally, as Thai law imposes liability on those who directly commit violent acts, those directly responsible and the masterminds of the riots should be held liable for the damages caused. However, this raises questions as to the circumstances under which these instigators or masterminds are criminally and/or civilly liable. This article examines the relevant provisions under Thai law.