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Chusert Supasitthumrong

Partner and Director, Dispute Resolution

Biography

Chusert Supasitthumrong, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution and litigation group, is a trial and appellate lawyer with an extensive track record of helping clients achieve successful outcomes in the Thai court system. With unmatched expertise and qualifications in labor and employment dispute resolution, Chusert is recognized as the go-to lawyer for Thailand’s largest employers for his ability to help clients solve critical employment disputes, from labor strikes to layoffs to contested for-cause terminations.

A formidable advocate with extensive experience litigating complex matters before the Labor Court and the Supreme Court, Chusert is equally successful in securing favorable settlements and contract terms for his clients. His labor practice includes advising clients in multiple-party labor disputes and collective bargaining negotiations. Chusert is one of just a handful of private practice lawyers in Thailand licensed as a Labor Relations Advisor with Thailand’s Ministry of Labor, which enables him to engage directly with labor unions in negotiations on behalf of corporate clients.

Chusert also handles commercial disputes related to product liability, customs, maritime, international trade, company reorganizations, tax, and white-collar crime, and in his role as director of the firm’s dispute resolution and litigation department provides guidance to teams working on contentious matters across virtually every practice area.

He is a regular speaker on these topics as well, presenting at regional legal conferences, for corporate clients at in-house seminars, and on televised programs. He is also a frequent contributor to the Bangkok Post and other leading periodicals.

Chusert was the exclusive winner for Thailand of the International Law Office Client Choice Award 2019 for Employment and Labor, and he is ranked by leading legal directories including Benchmark Litigation, Chambers Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and Asialaw Profiles.

Experience

  • Planned and executed the layoff of 1,900 employees. Thereafter, 279 of the affected employees submitted claims against the client in the total amount of THB 300,000,000. We successfully proved that our client had cause to terminate its employees and that such was done fully within applicable Thai law, resulting in judgment in our client’s favor. This was a high-stakes matter because, if we had lost the labor cases, the approximately 1,600 additional employees would have filed claims totaling approximately THB 2,000,000,000. We also act as ongoing labor compliance counsel.
  • Prevailed in a highly publicized termination case wherein the client sought court permission to terminate the president of a labor union based on her television appearance while wearing a controversial T-shirt. The president maintained that she had given such interview on her own time and that her actions were protected by the Constitution. Although she was supported by many NGOs, the court ruled in favor of our client.
  • Negotiated a favorable settlement of a highly contested termination of a company director involving our client, the director, and the company of the spouse of the director. The dispute included two criminal cases and two civil cases (one of which involved a claim of THB 20,000,000). We successfully gathered evidence of the director’s misconduct and leveraged that evidence to secure a favorable settlement for our client.
  • Planned the layoff of approximately 1,000 persons and created a multifaceted strategy to manage the response of the employees and the labor union. The labor union mounted a strong challenge to our client’s activities. Nonetheless, we successfully responded to the opposition and completed the downsizing of the company without any employee claim.
  • Helped a manufacturer respond to the creation of a labor union and the lodging of a labor demand. We advised the client and created a plan of action for managing all issues. Ultimately, the employees stopped the process of the labor demand and withdrew the application for registration of the labor union.
  • Represented a manufacturer in negotiations with a labor union on strike. We successfully negotiated the terms of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and, thus, expedited the conclusion of the strike. In the CBA, we secured favorable terms for our client and the return of certain management rights.
  • Defended a leading apparel company in a THB 50,000,000 labor claim and in a criminal case brought against the client’s director. We prevailed in both claims brought by the client’s former HR manager.
  • Represented a well-known Japanese manufacturer in the prosecution of both civil and criminal matters related to use of confidential trade secret and theft of client property. Our client reached a favorable settlement in the civil claims. In the criminal matter, we worked with the police and the public prosecutor and successfully secured sufficient evidence to support prosecution of the criminal claims.
  • Represented one of the world’s most recognizable fashion and luxury goods retailers in several commercial real estate disputes in Thailand arising from the disputed termination of a 30-year franchisee relationship. This representation includes negotiation and settlement of lease hold and commercial franchisee contracts with both the outgoing franchisee and the incoming franchisee partner, one of Southeast Asia’s largest and most successful commercial retailers.
  • Represented the precious metals division of a large Japanese multinational corporation in claims it filed against its shipper and freight forwarder for the loss of gold dram.
  • Consulted on union negotiations, process and procedures under Thai law, and applicable standards and contract terms.
  • Advised a large American supplier and manufacturer of semiconductors on employment issues for its Thai subsidiaries arising from flooding. More specifically, this dealt with restructuring employment, outsourcing arrangements, recovery planning as floodwaters receded, and laying off over 1,600 employees.
  • Defended a multinational manufacturing company and its subsidiary in unfair termination lawsuits (after operations were withdrawn from Thailand following the 2011 floods) by 100 former employees. The plaintiffs’ claims total USD 17.6 million in damages.
  • Successfully represented global automobile manufacturers and other large multinational companies in high-value product liability cases.
  • Successfully represented numerous global manufacturers in customs cases.
ABOUT Chusert

Industries

Automotive

Consumer Products

Practices

Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Employment

Location

Languages

    Thai

    English

Education

    LLB, Chulalongkorn University

Insights

September 30, 2025
Over the past several years, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Thai employees and labor unions have faced reductions in benefits and welfare from their employers. Consequently, they have pursued various strategies to enhance their compensation packages. One such approach involves establishing employee committees to negotiate with employers regarding benefits and welfare. Additionally, companies with existing unions typically nominate representatives to serve on these employee committees. Many employers, however, remain unfamiliar with both the committee’s role and the heightened procedural requirements that apply when disciplinary measures are contemplated against committee members. Because any violation of a committee member’s statutory rights can expose the employer—and its directors or authorized representatives—to criminal liability, a clear understanding of the relevant legal framework is essential. The Labor Relations Act B.E. 2518 (LRA) provides the statutory foundation for establishing employee committees. The purpose of the committee is to promote harmonious industrial relations and create a formal channel through which employees and employers can discuss workplace matters on a regular basis. Any workplace that employs at least fifty employees must, upon request by employees or the labor union, facilitate the creation of a committee. Members may be elected directly by employees or, where applicable, appointed by the labor union. Each member serves a three-year term. The LRA prescribes minimum committee sizes based on the employer’s headcount, as shown in the table below. If union members constitute more than 20 percent of the total workforce, the union must appoint at least one more committee member than the number of nonunion members elected by the general workforce. If union membership exceeds 50 percent of the workforce, the union acquires the exclusive right to appoint every committee member. Where multiple unions exist and their combined appointments would exceed the statutory committee size, the employer may lawfully refuse to
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September 25, 2025
In the Thailand contribution to Labor and Employment Disputes 2026, four members of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok labor and employment team outline key aspects of dispute resolution in Thailand. Their analysis, part of Lexology Panoramic’s comparative guide covering jurisdictions worldwide, addresses the following areas: Pre-action considerations: key requirements, third-party funding, contingency fee arrangements Issuing a claim: forum, territorial jurisdiction, standing, commencing claims, fees, service, defendants and legal personality, types of claims, time limits, counterclaims Case management: procedure, rules, amendments to claims, adding parties, consolidating proceedings, class and collective actions, evidence, witnesses, tactical considerations Interim relief: availability, requirements Trial: hearings conduct and time frames, confidentiality and public access, media reporting, elements of successful claims and burden of proof Alternative dispute resolution: available types, requirements and expectations, enforcement Collective employment and labor rights: enforcement and standing Remedies and enforcement: available remedies, assessing compensation, enforcement mechanisms Appeals: procedure, time frames, other means of challenge Updates and trends: recent cases and developments, technology developments, other issues The complete Thailand chapter can be downloaded below. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Cambodia and Vietnam chapters to Labor and Employment Disputes 2026. Readers can also gain 30 days of complementary access to the full Labor and Employment Disputes 2026 guide and the rest of Lexology Panoramic’s varied offerings through this link.
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August 21, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has adopted Harvey, a leading enterprise-grade AI platform for the global legal industry. The firm is proceeding with a rollout of Harvey’s legal AI solutions, which are supported by robust security and confidentiality protections, across the firm’s full-service regional practice in Southeast Asia. This initiative builds on the firm’s recent deployment of Microsoft Copilot and represents another advancement in Tilleke & Gibbins’ commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced legal service delivery. Under the program, legal professionals across the firm’s offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will have access to the full Harvey platform, equipping them to deliver practical, impactful, and results-driven legal services for clients throughout the region. The firm will also develop bespoke agentic workflows within Harvey tailored to the firm’s core practices and the unique requirements of Southeast Asian legal markets. Commenting on the initiative, Managing Partner Tiziana Sucharitkul stated, “At Tilleke & Gibbins, we have consistently invested in developing and adopting technology to improve the speed, precision, and overall excellence of our legal services. The firm’s decision to invest in Harvey exemplifies our commitment to innovation, further differentiating Tilleke & Gibbins within Southeast Asia’s legal landscape.” Managing Partner Darani Vachanavuttivong remarked, “By combining the deep regional expertise of our lawyers with Harvey’s market-leading domain-specific AI, we are empowering our regional team to streamline drafting, research, and review processes for complex legal matters, all while maintaining the high standards of quality and security our clients expect from us.” Harvey’s Chief Business Officer John Haddock added, “It’s clear Tilleke & Gibbins is investing heavily in innovation, and it’s clear their global clients will benefit significantly from their focus and investment. The Harvey team is thrilled to support the firm’s journey with our platform.”
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May 2, 2025
Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins have updated the latest edition of Doing Business in Thailand, a Q&A-style guide from Thomson Reuters Practical Law that offers an overview of key legal considerations for companies operating in jurisdictions worldwide. The contribution outlines the country’s legal and regulatory framework for foreign investment and business operations and reflects the latest legislative developments. The chapter addresses the following core topics: Legal system: Structure of the courts and the codified nature of Thai law. Foreign investment: Business restrictions under the Foreign Business Act, sector-specific regulations, exchange control rules, and investment incentives. Business vehicles: Overview of partnerships, private and public limited companies, and other legal entities. Employment: Labor protections, employment contracts, foreign worker requirements, and termination procedures. Tax: Corporate and personal income tax, indirect taxes, and tax obligations for residents and non-residents. Intellectual property: Registration and enforcement of patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights. Data protection: Key provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act and related compliance obligations. Competition law: Regulatory framework under the Trade Competition Act. Anti-bribery and corruption: Relevant legislation and enforcement mechanisms. E-commerce and digital business: Legal regime for online transactions and digital platforms. Marketing and advertising: Consumer protection laws and regulations affecting advertising and marketing practices. Product regulation and liability: Safety standards, liability regimes, and roles of enforcement authorities. Practical Law, a legal reference resource from Thomson Reuters, publishes a range of guides for hundreds of jurisdictions and practice areas. The insurance and reinsurance guide is a valuable resource for legal practitioners, covering numerous jurisdictions worldwide. To view the latest version of the guide, please visit the Practical Law website and enroll in the free Practical Law trial to gain full access.
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Awards & Rankings

October 23, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins has once again earned top recognitions in Asialaw Profiles, which highlights the leading domestic and regional firms operating across Asia. In the newly released 2025 edition, the firm secured rankings in 39 total categories spanning practice areas and industry sectors, with 19 of these in the highest available tiers. The firm’s Thailand practice continued to perform strongly, leading all Thailand-ranked firms with 19 total rankings. A particular highlight of this year’s results was the rise of the firm’s Thailand rankings in Banking & Financial Services and Capital Markets, both of which advanced from Recommended to Highly Recommended—reflecting the growing strength of the firm’s financial sector capabilities. Across other Southeast Asian jurisdictions, Tilleke & Gibbins maintained consistently strong rankings: In Cambodia, the firm was recognized for its strengths in corporate, financial, and IP work, with Highly Recommended rankings for Consumer Goods and Services and General Business Law (now reclassified as Finance and Corporate in collaboration with IFLR). In Laos, the firm continued to be recognized for its energy, regulatory, and IP capabilities, maintaining Highly Recommended status in key areas. In Vietnam, Tilleke & Gibbins retained Outstanding recognition for Intellectual Property and Highly Recommended rankings across several corporate and employment-related categories. In Indonesia, the firm continued to be Highly Recommended for IP, where it remains one of the most prominent practices in the market. Individual Recognitions In addition to the firmwide rankings, Asialaw Profiles 2025 recognized 27 individual lawyers from Tilleke & Gibbins—up from 22 in 2024. These include six new or promoted recognitions in Thailand: Charunun Sathitsuksomboon – Promoted to Distinguished Practitioner for Corporate and M&A Kasama Sriwatanakul – Rising Star for Intellectual Property (new) Patcharaporn Pootranon – Notable Practitioner for Capital Markets (new) Pongpalin Chantrapirom – Rising Star for Dispute Resolution (new) Saravut Krailadsiri – Distinguished
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September 12, 2025
The 2025/2026 edition of the IFLR1000 Asia-Pacific rankings, released by International Financial Law Review (IFLR), highlights Tilleke & Gibbins’ continued excellence in financial and corporate transactional work. The firm has maintained its strong rankings across multiple jurisdictions and practice areas while achieving notable upgrades and new recognitions, reaffirming its position as a leading firm in the Asia-Pacific region. This year, Tilleke & Gibbins received firmwide rankings in key jurisdictions, including: Thailand Banking & Finance—Tier 3 Capital Markets: Debt—Tier 3 Capital Markets: Equity—Tier 3 M&A—Tier 2 Project Development—Tier 2 Restructuring & Insolvency—Tier 3 Vietnam Banking & Finance—Tier 4 M&A—Tier 3 Project Development—Tier 3 Cambodia Financial & Corporate—Tier 2 Project Development—Tier 2 Laos Financial & Corporate—Tier 2 In addition to these firmwide rankings, Tilleke & Gibbins had several standout individual recognitions, with 12 lawyers honored in the 2025/2026 individual rankings—an increase from last year’s 10. This year’s results include upgraded rankings for John Frangos and new rankings for Charupat Boon-Long, Derrick Khoo, Prisna Sungwanna, and Saravut Krailadsiri. The full list is as follows: Charunun Sathitsuksomboon—Highly Regarded, M&A, Thailand; Women Leader Charupat Boon-Long—Rising Star, M&A, Thailand (new ranking) David Mol—Rising Star, Corporate and M&A, Cambodia Derrick Khoo—Rising Star (Partner), Financial and Corporate, Thailand (new ranking) Jay Cohen—Highly Regarded, Banking, Cambodia John Frangos—Highly Regarded, Restructuring & Insolvency, Thailand (upgraded ranking) Niti Muangkote—Rising Star, Financial & Corporate and Project Development, Laos; Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance, Thailand Prisna Sungwanna—Highly Regarded, Financial & Corporate, Laos (new ranking) Saithong Rattana—Notable Practitioner, Project Development and M&A, Laos Santhapat Periera—Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance and M&A, Laos; Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance, Thailand Saravut Krailadsiri—Notable Practitioner, Thailand (new ranking) Tram Ngoc Bich Nguyen—Highly Regarded, M&A, Vietnam To see the full set of IFLR1000 rankings for Tilleke & Gibbins’ jurisdictions, please see the Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam pages
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May 13, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins has been recognized in the In-House Community (IHC) Firms of the Year 2024, earning accolades across 19 categories in Thailand and Vietnam. The results, based on surveys of in-house counsel across Asia, reflect client perspectives on the quality and responsiveness of legal services in key practice areas. The firm received 11 Firm of the Year awards and two honorable mentions in Thailand, along with six Firm of the Year awards in Vietnam. Notably, Tilleke & Gibbins was named “Most Responsive International Law Firm” in both jurisdictions—an acknowledgment that underscores the firm’s longstanding commitment to client service. Firm of the Year – Thailand Most Responsive International Law Firm Antitrust/Competition Banking and Finance Employment Energy and Projects Intellectual Property International Arbitration Litigation and Dispute Resolution Real Estate and Construction Taxation Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Honorable Mention: Capital Markets Honorable Mention: Corporate and M&A Firm of the Year – Vietnam Most Responsive International Law Firm Employment Intellectual Property International Arbitration Litigation and Dispute Resolution Technology, Media, and Telecommunications The IHC Firms of the Year rankings are determined through responses from thousands of in-house counsel and corporate decision-makers in Asia and the Middle East. Tilleke & Gibbins is honored to receive this recognition from the clients and peers it serves across the region.
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