On August 5, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) named Dutsadee Dutsadeepanich as one of 89 regional representatives worldwide in its Young Arbitrators Forum (YAF). Dutsadee, who will be serving a two-year term, is joining the YAF’s South Asia Regional Chapter as the only representative from Thailand among the chapter’s 16 representatives. The YAF is responsible for the promotion of ICC’s dispute resolution services and development of the organization’s extensive network of members. The forum, which is open to representatives up to age 40, helps young professionals build up their skills and knowledge of alternative dispute resolution such as the ICC’s arbitral procedures and disputes services. The representatives also oversee events that offer young arbitration practitioners in the region the chance to foster connections with one another and learn from experienced practitioners. Dutsadee will officially assume her new role as a representative in the YAF South Asia Regional Chapter in a ceremony at the biennial ICC YAF Global Conference, which will take place virtually on September 29.

On July 29, Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, in collaboration with the Thai Listed Companies Association (TLCA), hosted the second installment of a two-part Thai-language webinar series titled “COVID-19: Business Interruption and Insurance Policy,” which covered perspectives of the insured, insurers, and reinsurers. During the presentation, Thawat Damsa-ard, partner; Anyamani Yimsaard, associate; Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, counsel; Nuanchun Somboonvinij, senior associate; and Suruswadee Jaimsuwan, counsel, jointly discussed legal interpretation of insurance policies, analyzed examples of business interruption policies (including standard clauses such as closure and infection clauses), covered considerations from insurers and reinsurers regarding claim defenses and insurance claims, and provided example cases from other jurisdictions. A full video recording of the webinar is available on the Tilleke & Gibbins YouTube channel.

On July 20, Chusert Supasitthumrong, partner and head of Tilleke & Gibbins contentious employment practice, and Jamorn Pornponwat, an associate in the firm’s dispute resolution group, teamed up to present a practical online session entitled “Employment Contract Basics – Key Considerations for Thai Employers.” Hosted jointly by Tilleke & Gibbins and True Digital Park, one of Southeast Asia’s largest tech and startup hubs, the webinar provided an overview of the core elements found in employment contracts in Thailand, including in-depth discussions on: the importance of non-competition clauses for innovative companies and other standard employment contract clauses; the distinction between employees and freelancers and how Thai companies can prepare contracts for freelancers; and, the legal process for terminating employees in Thailand. A recording of the webinar, which was presented in Thai, is available on Tilleke & Gibbins’ YouTube channel.

On June 30, 2021, Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, counsel in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution department, gave an online presentation on the role of arbitration in the construction sector—particularly in reference to disputes arising from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Noppramart’s presentation was part of a webinar titled “Investment Treaty Arbitration in the Construction Sector.” Organized by the Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI) and Thailand’s Court of Justice, the webinar featured insights on navigating disputes that can arise in connection with international construction projects. During the session, legal experts from Europe and Asia discussed how arbitration can help resolve investment claims in the construction sector that may arise after the COVID-19 pandemic, and explained how host states can benefit from arbitration in settling COVID-19-related disputes involving foreign investors in infrastructure or construction projects. The speakers also shared some of their own experiences related to treaty arbitration in the construction industry and pointed out how investors can benefit from treaty protection. Following the success of last year’s TAI-sponsored webinar on construction arbitration, this webinar was very well attended, with over 300 participants joining the virtual event to hear from the speakers, all of whom are experienced arbitration practitioners.