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May 9, 2023

Financial Times Highlights Tilleke & Gibbins’ Data Privacy Services

Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial group, was quoted in a recent article from the Financial Times on how law firms are helping clients tackle cybersecurity risks and navigate fast-evolving regulatory landscapes for data protection and cybersecurity in Asia.

In the article, Nop commented on recent Thai legislation that requires companies monitoring the behavior of residents to have a local data privacy representative in the country. She explained that this has created a client-service opportunity for Tilleke & Gibbins, which set up a digital solutions service that allows the firm to be the representative in Thailand for existing clients, including Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook. This helps clients become compliant and avoid having to set up their own local representative in Thailand.

Nop also discussed enforcement of the country’s fledgling Personal Data Protection Act and related regulations. “Last year, when the law was implemented, the regulator’s approach was more educational,” she told Financial Times. “This year, I would expect the regulator to start imposing fines. They are starting to enforce more strictly.”

Tilleke & Gibbins Digital Solutions is a first-of-its-kind service in Thailand, and it demonstrates the proactive approach the firm takes in addressing cybersecurity and data privacy. The firm’s data protection team—led by counsel Nopparat Lalitkomon—remains committed to helping clients navigate the complex landscape of cybersecurity threats and compliance.

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May 21, 2021
Dr. Ross Taylor, head of Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional financial services industry group and counsel in the firm’s corporate and commercial team in Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, provided the basis for a recent article by OneTrust DataGuidance on certain legislative changes in Myanmar since the military’s seizure of power in the country on February 1, 2021. Specifically, Ross described changes to the country’s laws governing privacy and security, as well as legislation on electronic transactions. The Supreme Administrative Council, the highest executive authority in Myanmar’s military government, made amendments that allow the government to conduct surveillance and investigations in a range of situations, while also eliminating certain safeguards of individual privacy and widening the state’s ability to obtain personal data from private operators. A versatile foreign consultant who provides legal guidance across multiple jurisdictions in Southeast Asia, Ross has extensive experience in Myanmar advising local and international companies on banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, energy and infrastructure projects, real estate, regulatory compliance, and other corporate legal matters. For more details, please see the full article on the OneTrust DataGuidance website.
May 21, 2021
On May 20, Tilleke & Gibbins collaborated with Clyde & Co to offer a webinar entitled “Data Protection Updates and Data Breach Lessons in Asia Pacific.” During the session, partner Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh shared an overview of Thailand’s upcoming Personal Data Protection Act and related data breach requirements. She also detailed the responsibilities of data controllers, key compliance requirements for handling personal data, and cross-border transfer restrictions according to Thai legislation. Following this Thailand-themed presentation, Giang Thi Huong Tran, a consultant in the firm’s corporate and commercial team in Hanoi, gave the latest updates on pending personal data protection legislation in Vietnam. In her part of the webinar, she outlined key issues of Vietnam’s draft decree, pointed out notable changes and concerns regarding the upcoming regulations, and provided practical guidelines for adapting to the expected changes.
May 14, 2021
On May 13, Charuwan Charoonchitsathian and Nopparat Lalitkomon, attorneys in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok office, presented a webinar entitled “How e-signatures can streamline Thai business operations,” in collaboration with True Digital Park—one of Southeast Asia’ largest tech hubs. During the hour-long online session, Charuwan and Nopparat discussed the increased acceptance and use of e-signatures in Thailand over the past few years, provided an overview of the local regulatory framework applicable to e-signatures that business operators must comply with, and explored how companies in Thailand can use e-signatures to streamline interactions with their customers, suppliers, and other contractual counterparties. A recording of the webinar, which was presented in Thai, is available on Tilleke & Gibbins’ YouTube channel.