Other Briefings
Thailand’s New Investment Promotion Policies Open a New Door to Foreign Investors
After 15 years of sticking to the same regulations, Thailand has finally announced that will update its investment policy. The Thai Board of Investment (“BOI”) has announced a new seven-year investment promotion strategy, making significant changes to a number of BOI investment promotion policies. The new policies, which came into effect this year and will last until the end of 2021, aim to restructure the Thai economy to a more focused form of investment promotion.
ASEAN Regulatory Brief: FATCA, GST, and a New DTA Protocol
In this ASEAN Regulatory Brief, we look at some of the important regulatory changes taking place in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia during the second half of August.
The Future of ASEAN-India Trade Looks Bright
Trade between ASEAN and India has seen strong growth over recent years. In 2014, total trade amounted to US$77 billion, a significant increase over the US$44 billion seen during 2009-10. Over the past decade, bilateral trade has increased at an average annual rate of a blistering 23 percent.
Indonesia Expands List of Pioneer Industries Eligible for a Tax Holiday
Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance (MOF) has announced that it will extend its list of “pioneer” industries that qualify for tax holidays. Such companies are eligible to receive a 70 percent exemption from income tax for between five and 15 years, as well as additional financial incentives. The proposed changes should take effect later this month.
The Three Most Common IPR Mistakes for SMEs in ASEAN
There are very few SMEs that would not take the issue of intellectual property rights (IPR) seriously in their home countries, but IPR legislation can be opaque when they move overseas. Here we take a look at the top 3 IPR mistakes SMEs make in ASEAN.
UK Prime Minister Cameron’s ASEAN Trip Reflects Growing Trade Links and Opportunities
Last week, David Cameron capped off a five day long tour of South East Asia to discuss trade with the UK. The region, which has outpaced global growth by over two percent over the past two decades, is attractive to UK businesses seeking markets beyond the EU.
ASEAN Regulatory Brief: CIT e-Filing, GST, Relaxed Investment Regulations, and Adjusted Reference Prices for Imports
In this ASEAN Regulatory Brief, we look at some of the important regulatory changes taking place in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand during the month of August.
Indonesia Raises Import Tax on a Range of Goods
The Indonesian government has announced that it is raising the import tax rate on a large number of goods, including food, clothing, and other consumer products. The move comes as the country continues to search for a method of jumpstarting its weak economy, which has been experiencing its slowest growth in six years. The government is also hoping that the new tax rates will help support and grow local industries.
Prevention Not Cure: Understanding Online IPR in ASEAN
E-commerce in ASEAN today is relatively underdeveloped. However, a study undertaken by AT Kearney predicts that as purchasing power parity in the region increases and internet penetration spreads, online retail in ASEAN markets could rise by around 25 percent annually.
Philippines Expands E-filing of Tax Returns, Mulls Personal Income Tax Reduction
Over the past year, the Philippines has been making great strides in improving its business environment. Chief among these improvements has been the government’s efforts to simplify the country’s tax system. The Southeast Asian nation is now continuing its efforts to improve the system of e-filing tax returns and the promotion of its use by businesses throughout the country.
