Employment and Employee Benefits 2016/17, published by Practical Law Company, provides an overview of employment and employee benefits in 32 jurisdictions worldwide. The Vietnam chapter of the guide, written by Kien Trung Trinh and Annika Svanberg, lawyers at Tilleke & Gibbins, covers the following subjects in detail:

The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Patents, 7th edition, is a Q&A-style guide to patent law in 28 jurisdictions worldwide. The Thailand chapter of the guide, contributed by Tilleke & Gibbins, provides an overview of the following subjects:

In a surprising move, the Immigration Bureau has announced that it will accept applications for Permanent Residence (PR) permits from September 1 to December 30, 2016, during office hours on any official working day. The annual PR application process is always an issue of great interest to foreign nationals who are eligible to seek PR permits, on the basis of having lived in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa for at least three years. In most years, the PR application process opens in December, so the early timing this year will be welcomed by PR applicants.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health is drafting a circular on compulsory licensing for pharmaceutical patents. From the view of protecting and promoting innovation in the industry, it is worthwhile to consider whether this is the appropriate time to introduce such regulations. This circular, a draft version of which has been released for public comment, could create a slippery slope into abuse of the patent system if certain shortcomings are not addressed.

On September 1, 2016, the Cambodian Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (MOLVT) launched the Foreign Labor Centralized Management System, an online portal that provides a streamlined application process for foreigners to obtain work permits in Cambodia. From September 1 onward, all companies that employ foreign workers must submit their quota requests and their applications for work permits and employment cards through the online portal.

Many people are approached by “investment consultants” selling various investment products and/or life insurance. One of the products they commonly offer is life insurance that is written to pay a benefit based on the performance of particular investments. They may refer to this as an “insurance wrapper,” or explain that the investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) are held “inside” the insurance. Whatever the informal description, it is important to understand that activities involving these types of products are subject to strict regulation under Thai law.

“Let food be your medicine” is a common mantra recited by those in the food business. In Thailand, many food products are fortified with nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and are marketed as offering a range of health benefits.

In order to repay debts, many flailing companies allocate additional resources to uncover new sources of income. In turn, these companies incur more debt, and this can lead to a vicious downward spiral ending in bankruptcy.Despite this bleak outlook, these companies still have the potential to recover and become profitable. One way is through reorganization, which provides relief to debtors that allows them to survive a crisis while ensuring that their creditors receive fair repayment.