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Papavarin Sarawongsuth

Associate

Biography

Papavarin Sarawongsuth is an associate in Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial department in Bangkok, where she primarily assists clients with tax and corporate and commercial legal issues. She has extensive experience providing advice to domestic and multinational companies on various tax matters, including corporate income tax, personal income tax, withholding tax, value-added tax, specific business tax, stamp duty, excise tax, customs duty, transfer pricing, inheritance tax, land and building tax, and others. She also advises on tax mitigation and tax structuring for domestic and cross-border transactions. She conducts tax due diligence, tax health checks, and tax audit assistance as well. In addition, she handles tax compliance matters such as the computation of corporate and personal income tax and the filing of tax returns, and she advises on various other areas of corporate law and commercial transactions.

Prior to joining Tilleke & Gibbins, Papavarin worked as a tax advisor at the Bangkok office of a Big Four accounting firm, where she specialized in international tax and transfer pricing. She holds an LLM in International Tax Law from King’s College London and an LLB in Business Law from Thammasat University.

Experience

  • Advised on tax structuring for investments into residential land development projects for sale in Thailand and the tax implications of all phases of the transactions, including acquisition, holding and profit repatriation, and exit.
  • Provided feasibility analysis regarding tax incentives offered under the International Business Centre (IBC) scheme, and assisted in preparing the IBC application for filing with the Revenue Department.
  • Carried out tax due diligence and tax health checks on various Thai target companies in industries such as consumer products, shipping, and aviation.
  • Assisted the Thai subsidiary of a leading US-based technology company in the tax computation and filing of tax returns for annual and mid-year corporate income tax, as well as transfer pricing disclosure documentation.
  • Assisted a leading American luxury jewelry company in defending its position in a tax audit by Thailand’s Revenue Department in relation to corporate income tax, VAT, and transfer pricing issues.
ABOUT Papavarin

Location

Languages

    Thai

    English

Education

    LLM, King’s College London

    LLB, Thammasat University

Insights

August 20, 2026
As part of its membership in Lex Mundi, Tilleke & Gibbins has released the latest edition of its Guide to Doing Business in Thailand, providing an overview of the legal, regulatory, and commercial considerations for companies establishing or expanding operations in Thailand. The 2026 edition offers practical insight into the country’s business environment, investment framework, and operational requirements. The guide covers a wide range of topics relevant to foreign and domestic investors, including: Investment incentives and promotion schemes Financial facilities and banking regulations Exchange controls and money transfers Import and export regulations Business structures and incorporation options Requirements for establishing a business Operational and compliance considerations Business cessation and insolvency procedures Employment and labor laws Taxation Immigration and visa requirements Prepared by Tilleke & Gibbins lawyers across multiple practice areas, the publication outlines key aspects of doing business in Thailand, including foreign investment restrictions, regulatory compliance obligations, corporate structures, employment requirements, and recent legal and economic developments affecting investors. The publication forms part of Lex Mundi’s Country Guides series, a global collection of jurisdiction-specific reference materials prepared by member firms around the world. Together, these guides help companies evaluate opportunities, compare regulatory environments, and plan international business activities across multiple markets. The full Guide to Doing Business in Thailand 2026 is available through the button below.
September 17, 2025
Thailand’s Ministry of Finance has introduced a five-year personal income tax exemption on capital gains from the disposal of cryptocurrency or digital tokens. The Ministerial Regulation No. 399, published in the Government Gazette on September 5, 2025, offers the personal income tax exemption for transfers occurring between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2029. The ministerial regulation was enacted to promote Thailand as a global financial center and digital asset business hub while encouraging increased domestic investment in digital assets. Key Conditions The exemption, which covers capital gains from cryptocurrency and digital token disposals during the specified five-year period, applies only to individuals. Companies that trade in digital assets are not eligible for this tax exemption. With the tax holiday set to expire in 2029 (unless extended), individual traders should plan ahead for postexemption taxation to ensure full compliance with Thailand’s personal income tax requirements. Proper documentation of digital asset transactions during the exemption period will be essential for future tax compliance. For more details on this tax exemption, or on any aspect of Thailand’s tax law and regulations, please contact Saravut Krailadsiri at [email protected] or Papavarin Sarawongsuth at [email protected].
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.
December 4, 2024
Thailand Legal Basics, a valuable primer for foreign investors, explores all aspects of living and doing business in Thailand. Written by specialists at Tilleke & Gibbins in Bangkok, it is the only comprehensive English-language guide to the Thai legal system with a focus on the concerns of foreign business and investment.

Awards & Rankings

September 30, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been named a finalist in two categories at the IFLR and International Tax Review (ITR) Asia-Pacific Awards 2026. The firm is shortlisted for Thailand National Firm of the Year at the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards, which recognize innovative cross-border transactions and the firms, teams, and transactions shaping the region’s legal and financial landscape. Tilleke & Gibbins is also shortlisted for Thailand Tax Firm of the Year at the ITR Asia-Pacific Tax Awards. The awards recognize leading firms and practitioners across the region for their work in direct tax, indirect tax, tax disputes, and transfer pricing. The winners will be announced at a joint awards ceremony on November 12, 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong. For more information, please see the full shortlists for the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2026 and the ITR Asia-Pacific Awards 2026.
September 23, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has received eight nominations for the Managing IP Asia-Pacific Awards 2026, recognizing the strength of the firm’s intellectual property practice across Southeast Asia. The firm has been shortlisted in the following categories: Asia-Pacific Firm of the Year (Domestic) Cambodia Firm of the Year Indonesia Firm of the Year Thailand Patent Firm of the Year Thailand Trademark Firm of the Year Vietnam Patent Firm of the Year Vietnam Trademark Firm of the Year In addition, Darani Vachanavuttivong, managing partner and managing director of the firm’s intellectual property practice, has been shortlisted for Asia-Pacific Practitioner of the Year (General Law Firms). The eight nominations reflect the continued recognition of Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional capabilities in intellectual property protection, commercialization, and enforcement. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on November 5, 2026. For more information, please see the full Managing IP Asia-Pacific Awards 2026 shortlist.
September 23, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has received 14 nominations for the Asialaw Awards 2026. The nominations span jurisdiction-level, practice-area, and individual categories across the region. At the jurisdiction level, Tilleke & Gibbins has been shortlisted in three categories: Cambodia Firm of the Year Laos Firm of the Year Thailand Firm of the Year The firm has also been shortlisted for four regional practice awards: Aviation and Shipping Firm of the Year Corporate and M&A Firm of the Year Dispute Resolution Firm of the Year Technology and Telecommunications Firm of the Year Seven individual nominations recognize lawyers from the firm’s offices in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam: Prisna Sungwanna, Laos Female Lawyer of the Year Pimvimol Vipamaneerut, Thailand Female Lawyer of the Year Tram Ngoc Bich Nguyen, Vietnam Female Lawyer of the Year John Frangos, Aviation and Shipping Lawyer of the Year, Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year Pongpalin Chantrapirom, Dispute Resolution Rising Star of the Year Chusert Supasitthumrong, Labour and Employment Lawyer of the Year The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on November 5, 2026. For more information on the Asialaw Awards 2025 and to browse a full list of the nominees, please visit the Asialaw website.
September 18, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has once again been recognized in the ALB Asia M&A Rankings 2026, earning Tier 2 rankings for its corporate and M&A practices in both Thailand and Vietnam. This marks the firm’s thirteenth consecutive year of recognition in the annual rankings. Published by Asian Legal Business (ALB), the rankings identify leading M&A law firms across Asia based on the volume, complexity, and scale of their work; their presence across the region and within individual jurisdictions; and strategic developments such as key hires and practice-group expansion. ALB, owned by Thomson Reuters, is a leading source of information for legal professionals active in the region. The continued recognition of Tilleke & Gibbins in Thailand and Vietnam reflects the firm’s longstanding capabilities in advising clients on significant transactions in these key Southeast Asian markets. To learn more about the ALB M&A rankings, and to browse the full rankings, please see the September 2026 issue of ALB.

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