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January 5, 2026

Tilleke & Gibbins Appoints New Partners in Thailand, Further Boosting Dispute Resolution Bench Strength

Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce the promotion of Chitchai Punsan and Suruswadee Jaimsuwan to partner in the firm’s Bangkok office, reinforcing the strength of the firm’s dispute resolution practice.

Chitchai has over 15 years of experience representing multinational corporations in complex disputes throughout Thailand and Southeast Asia. With a broad-ranging practice of contentious matters, he brings particular depth in customs violations, economic crime and regulatory investigations, product liability disputes, and civil and criminal litigation. Beyond his client work, Chitchai is recognized as a thought leader on customs and trade disputes, regularly sharing his insights as clients look to navigate a complex, geopolitical environment.  He has also provided his expertise to a wide range of research projects for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank, playing an active role in shaping policy discussions on legal and regulatory issues impacting the region. Chitchai holds an LLB from Ramkhamhaeng University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Kasetsart University, and is a member of the Lawyers Council of Thailand and the Thai Bar Association.

Suruswadee has been serving clients with Tilleke & Gibbins since 2020. A former judge of the Thai Courts of Justice, she 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 is recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a commercial and transactions Litigation Star in Thailand and by Asialaw as a dispute resolution Distinguished Practitioner in Thailand. Suruswadee holds an LLM from Monash University, an LLM from King’s College London, and an LLB from Thammasat University. She is a barrister-at-law qualified by the Thai Bar Association, a notary public, an arbitrator on the rosters of both the Thai Arbitration Institute and Thailand Arbitration Center. She has been actively involved in legal education and policy engagement, including teaching law and providing substantive commentary on proposed legislation, and also supports a number of important diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Tilleke & Gibbins managing partner Darani Vachanavuttivong said, “Chitchai and Suruswadee exemplify the proactive, results-oriented advocacy that our clients rely on across courts, tribunals, and regulatory forums. Their promotion reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional dispute resolution services, and we are delighted to welcome them to the partnership.”

Tilleke & Gibbins managing partner Tiziana Sucharitkul said, “Chitchai and Suruswadee are trusted advisors to businesses navigating complex disputes across Southeast Asia. Their commercial acumen and deep legal expertise further strengthen our full-service capabilities and reinforce Tilleke & Gibbins’ reputation in dispute resolution.”

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

September 2, 2021
On September 7, 2021, Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, counsel in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, will be a panelist in a webinar about how alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods such as arbitration function in relation to bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings. Titled “The Interplay between Insolvency Proceedings and International Arbitration,” the webinar is jointly sponsored by the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC) and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) as part of the THAC International ADR Webinar Series and Thailand ADR Week 2021. Joining Noppramart on the panel will be arbitration experts and professionals from Thailand and abroad. Together they will discuss the conflicts that frequently arise between international arbitration and insolvency law, as arbitration typically seeks to uphold agreements to settle disputes exclusively through arbitration regardless of the position of the contracting parties, while insolvency law aims to distribute the assets of the insolvent party between all creditors through a centralized process. The panelists will address how this tension plays out across the world, giving attendees a view of the experiences of arbitration practitioners from different jurisdictions and the challenges they have faced in relation to insolvency proceedings. The webinar is free to attend and will be held from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ICT (UTC+7). For more details, please see the event registration page.
August 30, 2021
On September 15, Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, counsel, and Dutsadee Dutsadeepanich, associate—both from Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group—will appear in a webinar titled “Commercial and Investment Arbitration in the Oil and Gas Sector,” presented in conjunction with the Thailand Arbitration Center, the Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Peter & Kim of Singapore. Dutsadee will moderate for the session, while Noppramart will be joined by three other experts from the legal industry and academia. Through their presentations, the speakers will discuss recent challenges in the oil and gas industry and how these pressures have led to an increase in complex commercial and investment arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism. One specific area of focus will be gas price review arbitration, though the speakers will also provide an overall view of the role of arbitration in the oil and gas sector, as well as how parties in the industry can incorporate arbitration into their dispute resolution strategies moving forward. The webinar, which will be in English, will be held via Zoom 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. ICT. Please submit the registration form (free) to attend.
August 27, 2021
Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution team members delivered a three-day Thai-language webinar series from August 24 to 26, focusing primarily on complex civil litigation in the construction sector. Pathanin Sornchangwat, associate, and Suruswadee Jaimsuwan, counsel, presented the first session titled “Lawyers and a Solution to Construction Business and Contracts.” During the event, they discussed common problems in the construction sector, provided practical advice on how companies can examine contracts to prevent unexpected complications, and addressed the role of lawyers in settling disputes. On the next day, Chusert Supasitthumrong, partner, and Pongpalin Chantrapirom, associate, discussed termination of business contracts. Chusert first explained principles of termination, including cause, methods, results, damages, and key issues businesses should be aware of. Pongpalin then addressed bases for termination of a logistics contract, pointed out particularly notable elements of a contract, highlighted key differences between contract types, and shared precedent cases from the Supreme Court. In the final webinar, Dutsadee Dutsadeepanich, associate, and Noppramart Thammateeradaycho, counsel, discussed issues related to permit withdrawal—informed by previous condominium cases. They noted some consequences of the action, and shared  legal defenses that condominium project owners might use when facing such an obstacle. They also shared their insights on the ongoing case regarding a recent court ruling on the construction permit of Ananda Development’s Ashton Asoke condominium project. Video recordings of all three sessions (in Thai) are available to watch on the Tilleke & Gibbins YouTube channel.
August 20, 2021
On August 19, Tilleke & Gibbins and the Thai Listed Companies Association (TLCA) jointly hosted a Thai-language webinar to address the regulatory environment surrounding import procedures and permit applications for health products. In the first part of the session, Kasamesunt Teerasitsathaporn, partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, provided an overview of the Customs Act, explained penalties imposed under the act, identified lists of prohibited and restricted goods, shared examples of products that require a declaration of permit documentation, and highlighted notable Customs Act provisions relating to health products. In the second part of the session, Dr. Atthachai Homhuan, director of the firm’s regulatory affairs practice, related some interesting case studies involving a wide range of health products, including medical equipment, pharmaceutical products, contact lenses, and other goods. Dr. Atthachai ended the presentation with practical advice to companies about managing their importation operations in compliance with the Customs Act. A full video recording of the webinar (in Thai) can be viewed on the Tilleke & Gibbins YouTube Channel.