On March 16, 2020, Thawat Damsa-ard, a partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution and litigation group, was an invited guest speaker at a seminar on the inquisitorial system. Understanding this type of judicial system, which is commonplace in civil law countries such as Thailand, is a key step in grasping the aim of proceedings in the Thai courts.

Thawat joined five other presenters, including Thai judges and academics, but he was the only practicing private lawyer to share an attorney’s perspective on court proceedings in an inquisitorial system. Thawat not only discuss his insights on the background and workings of the Thai court system—and by extension, the principles of inquisitorial judicial systems in general—but also shared anecdotes and experiences as a participant in the process.

This Thai-language seminar, which is titled “The Inquisitorial System: Principles and Practice,” was held at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus and was open to students and the general public. For more details on the event, please visit Thammasat University Faculty of Law’s Facebook post about the event.