Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins’ offices in Vietnam have contributed the Vietnam chapter to Pharmaceutical Advertising 2022 from Chambers & Partners. Pharmaceutical Advertising 2022—the fifth annual edition of this practice guide—provides information on pharmaceutical advertising regulations in 18 jurisdictions around the world. The guidance is especially useful for pharmaceutical manufacturers looking to share their products and innovations with the public in a responsible, transparent way that is compliant with local laws. The Vietnam chapter specifically the following topics: Regulatory Framework for pharmaceutical advertising Scope of advertising and general principles Advertising of unauthorized medicines or unauthorized indications Advertising pharmaceuticals to the general public Advertising to healthcare professionals Vetting requirements and internal verification compliance Advertising of medicinal products on the internet Inducement and antibribery Gifts, hospitality, congresses and related payments Transparency considerations for pharmaceutical companies Enforcement of pharmaceutical advertising rules Tilleke & Gibbins also provided the Thailand chapter to this guide. Chambers & Partners’ Global Practice Guides provide in-house counsel with expert legal commentary focusing on practical legal issues affecting business, and enable readers to compare legislation and relevant procedures across a range of key jurisdictions. The full Pharmaceutical Advertising 2022 guide—including the Vietnam chapter—is available for free on the Chambers and Partners website. The Vietnam chapter is also available as a PDF through the button below.

Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok office have authored the Thailand chapter in Pharmaceutical Advertising 2022 from Chambers & Partners. Pharmaceutical Advertising 2022—the fifth annual edition of this practice guide—provides information on pharmaceutical advertising regulations in 18 jurisdictions around the world. The guidance is especially useful for pharmaceutical manufacturers looking to share their products and innovations with the public in a responsible, transparent way that is compliant with local laws. The Thailand chapter covers the following topics: Regulatory Framework for pharmaceutical advertising Scope of advertising and general principles Advertising of unauthorized medicines or unauthorized indications Advertising pharmaceuticals to the general public Advertising to healthcare professionals Vetting requirements and internal verification compliance Advertising of medicinal products on the internet Inducement and antibribery Gifts, hospitality, congresses and related payments Transparency considerations for pharmaceutical companies Enforcement of pharmaceutical advertising rules Chambers & Partners’ Global Practice Guides provide in-house counsel with expert legal commentary focusing on practical legal issues affecting business, and enable readers to compare legislation and relevant procedures across a range of key jurisdictions. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Vietnam chapter to the guide. The full Pharmaceutical Advertising 2022 guide—including the Thailand chapter—is available for free on the Chambers and Partners website. The Thailand chapter is also available as a PDF through the button below.

On February 9, 2022, the Director-General of the Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF) stated that the DMF is planning to request that the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Energy sign an invitation to open bids for Petroleum Exploration and Production Licenses in the Gulf of Thailand for the first time in 15 years. The DMF’s Chief Department expects that this auction, which will cover three offshore areas, could increase Thailand’s petroleum reserves, and it could lead to the possible discovery of new sources of petroleum for Thailand, which would boost the country’s energy resources, and reduce losses from energy imports. The plots in the Gulf of Thailand that will be auctioned in the 24th bid round are as follows: Plot No. G1/65 with a total area of 8,487 square kilometers. This area is divided into 2 sub-areas: Area A totaling 8,298.49 square kilometers, and Area B totaling 188.71 square kilometers; Plot G2/65 with a total area of 15,030 square kilometers; and Plot No. G3/65 with a total area of 11,646.67 square kilometers. This area is divided into 2 sub-areas: Area A totaling 11,028.22 square kilometers, and Area B totaling 618.45 square kilometers. Generally, Thailand initiates its concession and production sharing contract process with the announcement of an exploration area or a plot in the Government Gazette. Thereafter, the DMF Committee will consider and announce the invitation, so that private sector firms can submit their applications to receive respective rights. The DMF’s sub-committee will consider the applications by: checking the qualifications stipulated under Section 24 of the Petroleum Act; assessing the suitability of the exploration project; and determining the benefits which are offered by the applicant. After considering the requests, the DMF’s sub-committee will consider the petroleum laws and regulations, before submitting the matter to the Petroleum Committee—under

The enactment of Thailand’s Narcotics Code, effective December 10, 2021, marked a key milestone in promoting the commercial applications of cannabis (both marijuana and hemp) and kratom as economic plants—with subsequent regulatory developments continuing this push. For many decades, cannabis and kratom were classified as category 5 narcotics under the Narcotics Act. However, a movement for the legalization of cannabis and kratom developed over time. First, the legalization of marijuana (Cannabis indica) for medical purposes became effective on February 19, 2019, as prescribed in Amendment No. 7 of the Narcotics Act. Kratom has also been effectively decriminalized (covering consumption, production, disposal, and possession for any purpose) since August 24, 2021, as prescribed in Amendment No. 8 of the Narcotics Act. The laws governing narcotic and psychotropic substances in Thailand have now taken a significant step forward with the passage of the Narcotics Code, which is intended to be a comprehensive law covering all narcotics and psychotropic substances in Thailand. Most recently, the Ministry of Public Health announced in the Government Gazette on February 2, 2022, that only cannabis extract (both marijuana and hemp) with THC of more than 0.2% by weight will be classified as a category 5 narcotic. This means that seeds, cannabis plants, and inflorescences, if harvested in Thailand, have been removed from the list of category 5 narcotics. Although the changes to Thailand’s narcotics regulations for cannabis and kratom are intricate, both cannabis and kratom have become a topical issue for farmers and related industries. The plants are new cash crops and have attracted widespread public interest. Currently, we can see fresh kratom leaves and fresh cannabis leaves sold in the market. Unlike products with cannabis derivatives, kratom-based products are not yet available in the Thai market. Although there is an opportunity for developing kratom-based products