Description

In 2015, Thailand's Civil Procedure Code was amended to allow class action proceedings in civil lawsuits. Class actions were not previously available in Thai proceedings, so this amendment marked a notable development. Since the enactment of the new law, plaintiffs have brought a number of class actions in Thailand, though perhaps a smaller number than some observers had anticipated. Still, class actions have started to play a greater role in the public consciousness. With high profile actions and potential actions being filed or threatened to be filed in response to things like the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Ming Dih Factory explosion, human rights abuses and environmental protection issues, the class action regime is proving itself to be a versatile tool in the administration of justice in Thailand as it has already done in other jurisdictions.
 
In this webinar, our speakers will provide an overview of Thailand's class action law and the types of cases that have been filed since its enactment. They will also address local and global trends in class actions, in particular in the ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) space and explore whether and how these trends could potentially appear in Thailand.

Our Speakers:

Suruswadee Jaimsuwan,  Counsel, Tilleke & Gibbins

Suruswadee Jaimsuwan is a senior litigator in the firm's dispute resolution department, representing clients and providing legal consultation in both criminal and civil cases.
A former judge of the Thai Courts of Justice, Suruswadee has extensive legal experience on and off the bench, bolstered by a deep knowledge of Thai law and court procedure. She uses her expertise to help clients develop strong and practical legal strategies, as well as to provide flawless advocacy in the courtroom. She also closely collaborates with firm litigators to share her unique insights on Thai court practice and procedure, thus giving clients a competitive edge in disputes.

She has also worked for the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, under a scholarship from the Office of the Civil Service Commission. In addition to her Thai, British, and Australian legal education, she received litigation, mediation, legislative development, and judicial training from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University, the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at the University of Victoria, and the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization. Suruswadee is a barrister-at-law qualified by the Thai Bar Association and an active member of the Board of Trade of Thailand.

Robert Tang, Of Counsel,  DLA Piper (Thailand) Limited

Robert Tang is an English qualified lawyer, handling disputes in Asia Pacific and internationally from the DLA Piper Bangkok office. Robert represents a wide range of clients and advised on high-profile disputes in Thailand and internationally. His main areas of practice are insurance and reinsurance disputes and corporate/commercial litigation and arbitration.

His arbitration practice particularly focuses on investment treaty, multi-party and cross-border disputes. He also advises and represents clients in relation to high profile cyber-incidents in Thailand. He advises clients in ad-hoc arbitrations as well as under the auspices of the ICC, SIAC, LCIA, TAI and others. He is also experienced in and advocates alternative dispute resolution methods, including mediation and early neutral evaluation procedures.

Robert is recognized as Up and Coming for Insurance in Thailand by Chambers Asia Pacific in 2020 and 2021. He is also recognized as a ?Next Generation Partner? for insurance and international arbitration by Legal 500 Asia Pacific in 2020 and 2021. Robert is also serving as a member on the ICC Thailand, Commission on Arbitration & ADR.