Chinnawat Thongpakdee
Senior Consultant
Senior Consultant
Bangkok
Chinnawat is a litigation and arbitration specialist with over 30 years’ experience.
Chinnawat is a highly esteemed lawyer in the Thai legal industry, recognised by leading legal directories such as Chambers and Legal 500. With over 30 years of experience, he excels in advising clients on litigation and arbitration matters. His career includes significant roles like secretary to the director general of the Legal Counsel Department and senior state attorney at the Attorney General’s Office of Thailand.
Chinnawat advises clients on a wide range of legal issues, including administrative law, antitrust, white-collar crime, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, corporate governance, and criminal law. He is highly regarded for his work across sectors, including banks and financial institutions, construction, real estate, energy, engineering, manufacturing and industrials, consumer, and insurance.
Known for achieving successful outcomes in both litigation and arbitration, Chinnawat represents clients in domestic and cross-border disputes. His clientele includes commercial and government entities, Thai conglomerates, and multinational corporations.
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- a leading Thai oil and gas exploration and production company in Thai Arbitration Institute proceedings and parallel Thai court injunction proceedings against a transportation services company
- a leading beverage company in Thailand and its affiliates in connection with a criminal investigation in relation to violation of Thai competition law
- a leading global financial and investment institution in defending a complex and high-value debt litigation claims brought by an individual debtor before the Thai civil courts
- a US defence contractor in TAI arbitration proceedings in relation to a dispute with a Thai government agency
- a leading Japanese industrial and power boiler construction company in Thai Arbitration Institute proceedings relating to an incident in Thailand
- an integrated farmer services and originating business encompassing cotton lint in enforcing the International Cotton Association (ICA) arbitral awards in Thailand
- a major Japanese insurance company in arbitration against six reinsurance companies under the Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI) for indemnity over the floods in 2011
- a global hedge fund management company in a wrongful act claim against the largest retail company in Thailand in connection with its illegal mandatory tender offer (MTO)
- an international joint venture in claiming on one of the most complicated construction disputes against a state enterprise at the Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI)
- a leading water company in its arbitration against a state enterprise and enforcing the arbitral award in the Administrative Court
- a major independent oil and gas exploration, development and production company in Thailand in one of the largest environmental impact claim in the southern region of Thailand and in protecting the client's oil and gas exploration development and production concession
- a leading telecommunication providers in Thailand in challenging an order of the Office of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission before the Administrative Court
- a major international truck manufacturer in several civil claims and criminal charges made by former high-ranking management regarding unfair dismissal, defamation and perjury criminal offences
- foreign directors of a Thai subsidiary of Japanese plastic manufacturing group in defending criminal allegations made by their local business partner in Thai court
- a leading Japanese trading corporation and its directors in relation to the criminal allegation in Thailand
- an international consumer products group on regulatory compliance and potential challenge in relation to new Thai product labelling laws
- a world leading truck manufacturer on allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace
- a global real estate services company in connection with criminal claims, criminal investigations and complaints arising out of an incidence release of a fire-retardant chemical during the installation of a new fire suppression system at the head office of a Thai commercial bank
- a major construction and mining company in respect of a high value unfair dismissal employment dispute in Thailand
- a leading German company on defending civil claims against it and its subsidiary in Thailand arising out of a distributorship agreement with a Thai ex-distributor
- a leading UK commercial bank, and its directors in relation to Thai bankruptcy proceedings and related criminal prosecutions in the Thai courts
- a subsidiary of the premier petroleum refining, chemical and marketing company in Thailand in relation to a criminal lawsuit brought against the company and its directors in purported violation of the Fuel Trade Act B.E. 2543 (2000); including advising on Thai law related to its business and operations in Thailand
- one of the world’s largest tobacco companies in a claim against the Thai Government in relation to the legality of laws requiring Graphic Health Warnings (GHWs) on cigarette packaging; including advising them in relation to Thai tobacco laws and regulations and assisting in license application/renewal
- a global media company in respect of parallel proceedings in Thailand and Hong Kong
- a major financial institution regarding a distressed sale of debt in a Thai entity
- a US defence contractor in TAI arbitration proceedings in relation to a dispute with a Thai government agency
- a Thai satellite telecommunications provider, as the Respondent in an UNCITRAL arbitration seated in Hong Kong in relation to a dispute arising from a satellite sharing agreement
- Thai operation of Japanese automotive manufacturer in providing Thai competition law advice in relation to its arrangement with its dealers
- a Thai subsidiary of an American multinational energy corporation on various potential claims against the Thai Government in respect of decommissioning, tax benefits and custom tax issues
- a major hotel group in respect of enforceability of restrictive covenant clauses
- successfully represented a Korean Bank in a civil lawsuit in Thai court claiming the repayment of loan from the Thai debtor
- a global food manufacturer on workplace accidents causing serious injuries to employees at its manufacturing facility
- a leading global interdealer broker in Thai Arbitration Institute proceedings regarding the alleged breach of a shareholders’ agreement.
- an international travel business on the employment, pensions and incentives implications arising out of a business takeover, including on the ground support to human resources staff during workplace announcements and employee terminations
- a leading international accounting consultancy firm on the termination of a senior partner for fundamental breaches of conditions of employment and drafting the terms of a mutual separation agreement
- an international travel company on creating an internship program in Thailand and the redrafting of the company's work rules and standard employment contracts
- a major global packaging manufacturer and supplier on human resource strategies with particular emphasis on managing short and long term changes to workforce numbers
- a leading UK commercial bank on the defence of criminal charges in Thai court
- a major Japanese company against claims totalling US$ 100 million in connection with its construction of a gas turbine power station in Southeast Asia
- a large petrochemical company in Thailand in connection with its investigation and litigation in relation to its palm-oil business
- a UK university in claims arising out of its proposed joint venture for the establishment of branch campus in Thailand
- a leading Japanese clothing retailer on TAI arbitration proceedings in respect of its lease agreement with a large retail mall in Chiang Mai, Thailand
- a Thai-based commercial bank in defending a civil lawsuit in Thai court claiming the payment under several forged bank guarantees allegedly issued by the bank's employee
- a leading Thai oil & gas exploration and production company in a dispute relating to the supply, installation, hook-up and commissioning of an offshore gas processing and living quarters platform, subject to TAI arbitration
- one of the world’s leading professional services firms in connection with a partnership dispute and related Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI) arbitration proceedings
- a major international bank in connection with criminal allegations filed by its debtors and a business reorganisation
- world's leading truck manufacturer regarding Thai law issues/disputes and assessing further risk with respect to marine and industrial application's construction-related agreements in connection with a US $136 million expansion project in Thailand
- a large hotel and resort operator in a dispute with employees regarding the company's employment contracts
- world's leading insurance brokerage company as its Thai counsel in relation to court proceedings brought against it in Toronto, Canada, which involves a wide range of issues, including insurance coverage disputes, alleged failure to act in good faith, and other issues which arose out of the flooding in Thailand in 2011
Sectors
Background
Accolades
- Senior Statesperson, Dispute Resolution
Chambers Asia Pacific, Thailand, 2025 - Litigation Star, Commercial and Transactions
Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific, Thailand, 2025 - Leading individuals, Dispute Resolution
Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Thailand, 2024 - Leading individuals, Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration
Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Thailand, 2024 - Icon, Thailand's Top 100 Lawyers
Asia Business Law Journal, Thailand, 2024
Memberships
- Member, The Thai Bar Under the Royal Patronage
- Lawyers License, Lawyers Council of Thailand under the Royal Patronage
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