Legal and Tax Updates

The Myanmar Internal Revenue Department (“IRD”) recently issued a notice with regard to the implementation of the Integrated Tax Administration System (“ITAS”). This is an electronic system that aims to modernize tax administration procedures in Myanmar starting FY 2019-2020. The aim of the ITAS is to implement an electronic-based system that will administer the tax...

The Thai National Legislative Assembly approved a resolution to amend the existing Labor Protection Act (the “LPA”) on December 13, 2018. This amendment to the LPA has been published in the Government Gazette on April 5, 2019, and will come into effect on May 6, 2019. Key takeaways of this amendment, which is largely favorable...

In compliance with the obligations to implement OECD/BEPS reforms, Thailand’s Cabinet has just announced the complete cancellation of all tax benefits granted under three longstanding and significant BOI incentive programs: Regional Headquarters (ROHs), International Headquarters (IHQs), and International Trade Centers (ITCs). According to the attached translation of the official announcement, all tax incentives granted under...

Registered taxpayers in Cambodia are now in the process of completing their Annual Tax on Income (“TOI”) declarations for the 2018 tax year. This applies equally to those entities that hold real estate in Cambodia and we provide below some of the key tax issues that those entities should be aware of when submitting their...

Further to our update on Prakas 443 on Seniority Payments (“Prakas 443”) issued by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (“MLVT”) on 21 September 2018 in this link, the MLVT issued Guideline 042/19 on Payment of Back Pay of Seniority Pay prior to 2019 (“Back Pay”) for Enterprises outside of the Garment, Textile and...

Notification 4908 issued by the General Department of Taxation (GDT) on the 18th of March 2019 requires all registered taxpayers in the self-assessment taxation regime in Cambodia to now provide the total amounts, in tax invoices that they issue to customers, in Khmer Riel (KHR). For completeness the itemized amounts in a tax invoice do...

Contributed by Ocampo & Suralvo Law Offices Movable properties, including intangible properties such as receivables and intellectual property rights, can now be more easily used as collateral for loans under Philippine law with the enactment of Republic Act No. 11057 or the Personal Property Security Act (PPSA). Under old laws, banks and other lenders preferred...

Contributed by Ocampo & Suralvo Law Offices Aiming to provide a more business-friendly environment and boost the competitiveness of the economy, the Philippines recently enacted Republic Act No. 11232 or the Revised Corporation Code, which replaces the old code. Under the old law, a corporation’s maximum term of existence was 50 years. Even though this...

Market rates On 13 March 2019, the General Department of Taxation (“GDT”) released Notification 4630, which provides the “market rates” for determining the caps on interest rate deductions for loans that had been entered into using Khmer Riel (“KHR”) and United States Dollars (“USD”) in the 2018 financial year. The “market rates” for 2018 are as...

The State Bank of Vietnam (the “SBV”) issued Circular No. 42/2018/TT-NHNN dated 28 December 2018 (“Circular 42”) that amends and supplements specific articles of Circular No. 24/2015/TT-NHNN of the SBV dated 8 December 2015 (“Circular 24”) regulating lending in foreign currencies to resident borrowers by credit institutions and foreign bank branches established and operating in...