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Suruswadee Jaimsuwan

Partner

Biography

Suruswadee Jaimsuwan is a partner in the firm’s dispute resolution group, advising clients in both criminal and civil cases, with particular expertise in complex criminal proceedings and high-stakes commercial disputes. As a former judge with the Thai Courts of Justice, Suruswadee uses her unique insight to identify creative ways to help clients achieve their goals. Owing to her legal expertise, 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.

With her extensive legal experience on and off the bench, Suruswadee uses her deep knowledge of Thai law and court procedure to develop strong and practical legal strategies, and to advocate for her clients clearly and persuasively both in the courtroom and before regulators. In complex proceedings involving technical subject matter, she oversees the completeness and scope of all cross-examination questions, monitors the dynamics of the courtroom during proceedings, and coordinates real-time adjustments to the team’s approach. As a mediation expert, she explores alternative dispute resolution options and identifies areas of agreement to seek solutions. Suruswadee gives clients a competitive edge by working closely with the firm’s litigators to share her insights on potential solutions, negotiation techniques, and Thai court practice and procedure.

In addition to her judicial career, Suruswadee worked for Thailand’s Department of Labour Protection and Welfare under a scholarship from the Office of the Civil Service Commission. Her close work with various governmental authorities on labor law research and development provided her with a deep understanding of labor law in Thailand and how various pieces of legislation function and interact.

A trusted and respected legal advisor and attorney, Suruswadee is regularly invited to present her insights on a wide range of legal issues in Thailand, including those related to employment law, arbitration, class actions, white-collar crime, and administrative proceedings. She has also been entrusted by local legislators to contribute to the formation of new laws and regulations, including Thailand’s recent Civil Partnership Bill. In 2025, she was appointed as an advisor to a House of Representatives committee tasked with reviewing the amendment of Thailand’s anti-money laundering law.

Suruswadee completed her legal education in Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Australia. She also undertook litigation, mediation, legislative development, and judicial training from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University, the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at the University of Victoria, and the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization. This international education has given her understanding of different legal systems, international settings, and cross-cultural customs. Additionally, she completed the Director Certification Program and the Advanced Audit Committee Program from the Thai Institute of Directors. Her comprehensive understanding of the business sector enables her to integrate legal expertise with business acumen and a thorough understanding of corporate operations.

Suruswadee 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 the Thailand Arbitration Center, and an active member of the Thailand Board of Trade. In addition to regular appointments as an arbitrator, she teaches arbitration courses and is a frequent speaker on arbitration, the legal environment for directors, anti-harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and AI in legal work, including as a speaker for the Thai Institute of Directors, Thammasat University, and other institutions. She is also known as an advocate on criminal justice; diversity, equity, and inclusion; mediation; and vocational guidance for legal practitioners, and is passionate about inspiring younger generations of law students and pupils enthusiastic about legal studies.

Experience

  • Successfully defended a leading multinational electronics company against criminal charges alleging breach of agreements relating to employment conditions, collective bargaining agreements, and an award by advising the client on legal strategy, developing case strategy, and representing the client in court, with the court not allowing any of the plaintiff’s complaints to proceed further.
  • Defended a high-profile case in the Supreme Court Criminal Case Division for Persons Holding Political Positions by developing case strategy and representing the client in court, securing a historic best outcome for cases involving allegations of similar offenses.
  • Led defense counsel as supervising litigator and lead trial attorney in a complex criminal and civil case involving highly technical structural engineering issues, extensive documentary evidence, and multiple codefendants, guiding the team in managing all aspects of the defense, including cross-examination techniques and planning, written submissions, communications with the client and external parties, and liaising with the court and opposing parties.
  • Advised on a complex cross-border dispute between Thai and Taiwanese parties arising from an incident in Taiwan with parallel litigation proceedings in both jurisdictions, developed creative solutions to resolve the dispute, and successfully concluded a settlement agreement worth nearly THB 1 billion (approx. USD 30 million), saving the parties substantial litigation costs that would have been incurred from pursuing cases in courts across two jurisdictions.
  • Led the defense in a complex, highly technical dispute arising from maintenance works at a biochemistry facility operated by the Thai subsidiary of a global filtration and purification company against claims for alleged damage to stainless-steel systems, which entailed developing technical case strategy, exposing methodological flaws in opposing expert analysis, and dismantling the plaintiffs’ causation theory through focused cross-examination and targeted impeachment, resulting in complete dismissal at first instance following a five-day evidentiary trial.
  • Successfully represented a global sports management company in a complex international commercial dispute arising from default payments for services related to global golf tournaments, which included developing and executing a comprehensive litigation strategy and facing a multibillion-baht counterclaim alleging breach of contract and wrongful acts, resulting in a favorable judgment with the court ordering payment plus interest and dismissing the counterclaim in its entirety.
  • Led a comprehensive corporate fraud cleanup and operational reset for a multinational client’s local subsidiary, serving as the sole on-the-ground adviser. This involved addressing acute governance gaps by designing and executing a structured transition program that stabilized operations and protected enterprise value; managing senior leadership separation, workforce morale and retention, and implementation of communication protocols; coordinating asset recovery; supervising secure network shutdowns; and overseeing preservation of critical documents and data. Close coordination with corporate teams to redesign corporate architecture, adjust shareholdings, and align governance frameworks, ensuring legal and HR compliance throughout, allowed the company to return to stability under a renewed operating model with strengthened controls.
  • Defended a multinational electronics company against false claims in connection with a subcontractor that failed to deliver work as agreed upon in a construction agreement.
  • Advised on case strategy in relation to an ongoing contentious estate division dispute involving heirs in multiple jurisdictions in Southeast Asia.
  • Advised high-profile individuals on prenuptial agreements, family constitutions, and wills to prevent issues among future heirs.
  • Advised various multinational companies on draft agreements containing multitier dispute resolution clauses concerning negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.
  • Advised a multinational company on its online multilevel marketing business in relation to various legal concerns, including potential criminal liabilities.
  • Defended directors and employees against criminal charges in relation to forgery and false documents by proposing and executing legal strategy, advising clients at inquiry meetings with related authorities, and getting warrants revoked in an ongoing investigation process.
  • Prosecuted and defended high-profile and highly contentious divorce cases—both single- and multijurisdictional—navigating complex and emotionally charged family dynamics to achieve favorable settlements by identifying and leveraging legal issues overlooked by opposing parties, and provided postdivorce transitional counsel.
  • Represented a multinational cosmetics company in the witness examination process and succeeded in enforcing a noncompete agreement and securing damages for a breach of the agreement.
  • Represented over 10 international insurance companies in multibillion-baht claims regarding product liability and wrongful acts, and won challenges on choice of court with jurisdiction over the case.
  • Advised on drafting a petition to the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases to request that the matter be considered by the Constitutional Court; the court granted the request without delay.
ABOUT Suruswadee

Practices

Compliance and Investigations

Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Employment

Location

Languages

    Thai

    English

Education

    LLM, Monash University

    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.
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June 22, 2026
Arbitrator independence and impartiality form the cornerstone of a legitimate arbitral process. Under section 19 of the Thai Arbitration Act B.E. 2545 (2002), prospective arbitrators must disclose circumstances likely to give rise to justifiable doubts as to their impartiality or independence, and existing arbitrators must do so throughout proceedings. This mirrors article 12 of the UNCITRAL Model Law. Yet despite this clear mandate, practical implementation varies significantly across Thailand’s arbitration landscape. Background Thailand’s two principal arbitration institutions, the Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI) and the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC), both maintain procedures for addressing arbitrator challenges and require compliance with the statutory disclosure obligation. Under both sets of rules, any party wishing to challenge an arbitrator must submit a challenge application within fifteen days of becoming aware of the relevant facts, and a committee is appointed to consider the matter on a case-by-case basis. The TAI additionally prescribes its Code of Ethics and Conduct for Arbitrators to further emphasize the expectation of impartiality and transparency. However, Thailand’s arbitration ecosystem extends well beyond the TAI and THAC. Several sector-specific institutions also administer arbitral proceedings, including the Thai Commercial Arbitration Office under the Board of Trade of Thailand, the Arbitration Centre of the Office of the Insurance Commission, the Arbitration Centre of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Office for the Prevention and Resolution of Disputes regarding Intellectual Property, and the Arbitration Centre of the Thai General Insurance Association. These institutions each operate under their own procedural rules, which were developed to serve particular industries and dispute profiles. The procedural mechanisms for securing and documenting an independence declaration are not uniformly established across these forums. Consequences of Procedural Inconsistency This creates a notable gap. Not all arbitration bodies have a formalized procedure requiring written independence statements before proceedings commence. Some tribunals proceed
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January 5, 2026
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
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December 8, 2025
As Thailand transitions into an aged society, retirement policy and workplace protections for older workers have come into sharper focus. With public sentiment increasingly open to working beyond the traditional retirement age, questions about employee rights and employer obligations are more relevant than ever. In October 2025, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul proposed increasing the statutory retirement age to 65 for government officers, citing Thailand’s aged-society status and the potential social and economic benefits of longer working lives. While academics and stakeholders have raised concerns about systemic impacts, public opinion remains divided, with many workers signaling a willingness to continue working beyond the current norm. Against this backdrop, it’s worth revisiting what the Labor Protection Act B.E. 2541 (1998) (LPA) requires in regard to retirement and severance pay. This article explains the current legal landscape under the LPA, with a focus on retirement and severance pay for employees over 60, recent judicial developments, and practical options for structuring postretirement engagements. Retirement as Termination Under the LPA Under the LPA, retirement—whether set by agreement between employer and employee or unilaterally stipulated by the employer—is deemed a termination of employment. As a result, employees who retire under such terms are entitled to severance pay. The law also adds a default rule: if there is no agreed or prescribed retirement age, or if the prescribed retirement age exceeds 60, an employee aged 60 or older may declare an intention to retire. The declaration takes effect 30 days after notice, and the employer must pay severance accordingly. In short, retirement triggered by agreement, the employer’s work rules, or an employee’s valid notice is treated as a termination, and statutory severance pay is owed. Hiring or Rehiring Employees Over 60 Practical issues arise when an employer’s work rules set a retirement age that does not
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Awards & Rankings

May 11, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has continued to show excellent performance in the recently released Benchmark Litigation 2026 rankings for dispute resolution firms in the Asia-Pacific region. The rankings include two jurisdictions where Tilleke & Gibbins is active: Thailand and Vietnam. Firm Rankings A full summary of the firm’s rankings is provided below: Thailand Commercial & Transactions – Tier 1 Government & Regulatory – Tier 1 Labor & Employment – Tier 1 Intellectual Property – Tier 1 Trade & Customs – Tier 2 Vietnam Commercial & Transactions (Foreign Firms) – Tier 1 Intellectual Property (Foreign Firms) – Tier 1 Labor & Employment (International Firms) – Highly Recommended (top tier awarded in this category) White Collar Crime – Recommended (top tier awarded in this category) Energy & Construction (Foreign Firms) – Tier 2 International Arbitration – Tier 2 Individual Rankings The 2026 edition also recognizes 12 Tilleke & Gibbins lawyers in Thailand—more than any other firm in the jurisdiction—and four in Vietnam. Thailand Alongkorn Tongmee – Trade & Customs Chitchai Punsan – Commercial & Transactions Chusert Supasitthumrong – Labor & Employment John Frangos – Commercial & Transactions Noppramart Thammateeradaycho – Shipping Nuttaphol Arammuang – Intellectual Property Piyawat Vitooraporn – Commercial & Transactions Pongpalin Chantrapirom – Commercial & Transactions Suebsiri Taweepon – Intellectual Property Suruswadee Jaimsuwan – Commercial & Transactions Thawat Damsa-ard – Commercial & Transactions Tiziana Sucharitkul – Commercial & Transactions, Government & Regulatory Vietnam Duc Anh Tran – Commercial & Transactions Linh Duy Mai – Intellectual Property Loc Xuan Le – Intellectual Property Tu Anh Tran – Commercial & Transactions Benchmark Litigation’s annual research is based on interviews with dispute resolution specialists and clients, as well as analysis of recent casework and market developments. To view the full results, please visit the Benchmark Litigation websites for Thailand and Vietnam.
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