On November 21, 2019, Tilleke & Gibbins welcomed a number of Japanese clients to their Bangkok office for a Japanese-language session on two of the most important topics to current Japanese investors in Thailand—personal data protection and anti-corruption.

Personal data protection has been a central concern for many companies in Thailand since the passage of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), which gives until May 27, 2020, to achieve compliance. Anti-corruption rules, enforcement, and compliance is also a constant topic of interest for foreign investors especially, as compliance with the laws in each jurisdiction can be a challenge for businesses unfamiliar with the local laws and regulations in other countries.

The Japanese-language session opened with an introduction to Tilleke & Gibbins and its capabilities by Cynthia Pornawalai, partner and head of the firm’s Japanese-language practice group, and Darani Vachanavuttivong, co-managing partner and director of the firm’s IP department. Kento Nakamura, a consultant who is seconded to Tilleke & Gibbins from Midosuji Legal Profession Corporation in Tokyo, then led the remainder of the session. After explaining the nuances of compliance with the PDPA and anti-corruption regulations, Kento was joined on stage by Auradee Pantumkomon Wongsaroj, an attorney-at-law in Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial practice, and John Frangos, partner and deputy director of the firm’s dispute resolution group, who were able to provide additional insight on the PDPA and anti-corruption respectively.