Domain name ownership in SE Asia

ICANN ownership rules allow anyone to apply for domain names. But in July the new Chairman of Domain Name Management Indonesia (Pandi) Mr Andi Budimansyah confirmed that the .id domain name may not be sold to non Indonesian entities, per current practice. He cited reasons of national identity, and said that because a vast range of new ICANN domain names would be available from 2012 that this rule caused no harm to anyone.

Elsewhere in SE Asia there seems to be less concern. DotPH, the official domain name registry of the Philippines have no restrictions on foreign ownership so foreign entities can register .ph domain names.  In Thailand it is the same. In Vietnam foreign organisations and individuals can register and use second level domain names under code .vn.