Asia Briefing’s ASEAN Focused Regulatory and Operational Business Updates

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January 22, 2026

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Weekly business and foreign investment news roundup in Asia

by Asia Briefing and Dezan Shira & Associates.

ASEAN EDITION

Choosing the Appropriate Legal Entity for Foreign Investors in Thailand

Foreign investors entering Thailand must choose the right legal entity to manage ownership limits, licensing, capital requirements, and long-term exit risk.

Withholding Tax Treatment for Cross-Border Payments in Singapore

Foreign investors should assess how withholding tax applies to cross-border payments in Singapore, including rates, treaty risk, and issues that affect cost and compliance.

Malaysia Revises its Expatriate Employment Policy

Malaysia will revise its expatriate employment policy from June 2026, raising salary thresholds and introducing time limits for Employment Pass holders.

Managing Group Reporting and Consolidation from Vietnam

Foreign investors in Vietnam should plan group reporting early, as accounting and reporting risks become group-level issues.

Asia Manufacturing Index: Malaysia Places Second Among ASEAN Economies

Malaysia ranks second among ASEAN economies in the 2026 Asia Manufacturing Index, which compares manufacturing-related indicators across 11 Asian countries.

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COMPLIMENTARY BUSINESS RESOURCES:

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2026

This publication is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in all 11 ASEAN countries and includes a guide to corporate establishment, tax advisory, and bookkeeping, in addition to HR and payroll, double tax agreements, and audit and compliance.

An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2026

This latest edition of An Introduction to Doing Business in India provides a clear, practical roadmap to navigating GST 2.0 reforms, the full rollout of the four Labor Codes, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules 2025, and updates to incorporation processes, entity selection, audit requirements, and financial reporting.

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