Contact Details
T: +66 (0)85 971 5888
F: +66 (0)2 657-2222
Email: 
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Suphamit Watnoppakhun
plays a pivotal role in the firm’s China and Dispute Resolution teams. He provides strategic legal
and business advisory services to a diverse range of clients, including foreign businesses seeking
to invest or do business in Thailand, as well as those who have already established their presence.
As a Chinese-blooded Thai counsel, Suphamit is fluent in Mandarin, Thai, and English. His expertise
encompasses commercial and investment-related laws and regulations. He advises businesses on
entering the Thai market with investment strategies, shareholding structuring, and obtaining
incentives from government authorities, along with valuable commercial insights. He has a track
record of assisting various clients, including state-owned enterprises (SOEs), Fortune Global 500
companies, and listed companies. Suphamit recurrently
represents major clients across industries such as infrastructure construction in the Belt and Road
Initiative, manufacturing amid the China-US trade war, EVs in the green energy era, and industrials
in the oversupply era. His expertise spans energy, hotels, healthcare, private equity, technology,
and media. In addition to his
advisory role, Suphamit is proficient in handling disputes and creating resolution strategies. His
expertise includes litigation and arbitration under the rules of major arbitration institutions,
including ICC, SIAC, and TAI. He also specializes in enforcing arbitral awards before the Thai
court. Suphamit’s proficiency extends to civil and criminal matters, such as shareholder disputes,
construction disputes, international trade disputes, and criminal disputes, including cross-border
strategic disputes, as well as investigation, enforcement, and forensics across various
industries. Publication - Revolutionizing Dispute Resolution: An Introduction to Judicial
Arbitration in Thailand, Lexology (June 2024)
- Arbitration in Asia – Second Edition, Thailand Chapter (December
2023)
Experience Significantprojectsandmatters
in which Suphamit has been involved include: Foreign Investment: - Represented Changan
Automobile and Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric, subsidiaries of China South Industries Group,as their general counsel, providing a wide range of legal services including
contract advisory and conducting forensic investigations and due diligence on counter parties before
entering into transactions and projects, including government procurement agreements.
- Represented Shanghai Edrive, a
subsidiary of Broad-Ocean Motor, in the complete end-to-end process of setting up
Thai entities. This included advising on investment strategies, available BOI incentives, crafting
agreements to acquire factories, and assisting with labor and other post-promotion compliance legal
issues.
- Represented various world-leading smart electronic appliance manufacturers from the PRC and the US in setting up Thai entities, including advising on
shareholding structures, obtaining incentives(tax and non-tax), conducting due diligence on lands
and factories to be acquired, crafting JV agreements, and assisting with other compliance legal
issues.
- Represented Lao Cement, a subsidiary of
Power China, on intellectual property matters in Thailand, and another subsidiary,
Sinohydro, with legal advisory services on construction contracts, general
corporate matters, and compliance, as well as conducting forensic investigations and due diligence
on counterparties to determine financial capability.
Dispute Resolution (Litigation& Arbitration): - Represented primary
defendants in Thai criminal proceedings and
English commercial proceedings in a USD 2 billion multi-party fraud and conspiracy claim under Thai
law, involving ownership of Thailand’s major renewable energy company (listed as The Lawyer’s Top 20
Cases of 2022).
- Represented the Thai subsidiary of a
global investment service provider in Thai
Arbitration Institute (TAI) arbitration proceedings related to a construction agreement for a
luxurious real estate project in Phuket, with claims over THB 1.93
billion.
- Represented
the world's leading
sustainable manufacturers and suppliers of carbon black additives in defending a class lawsuit and civil lawsuits at the Bangkok South Civil
Court. If the case is lost, the client may be required to pay all of the defined members who
live in a specific area as defined by the
court.
- Represented one of
the world’s largest investment companies in
enforcing a Beijing International
Arbitration Center (BIAC) arbitral award through the Central Intellectual Property &
International Trade Court, with a total value of THB 900 million (approximately USD 30
million).
- Represented
a South Korean multi national automotive
manufacturer in strategizing defenses and
guarding a civil law suit related to distribution and dealership agreements at the Central
Intellectual Property & International Trade Court, valued at THB 150million (approximately USD 5
million).
- Represented
a Chinese state-owned hydro power engineering
and construction company in construction
civil and bankruptcy lawsuits against a Thai public company, demanding construction fees, return of
security, and damages totaling THB 350 million (approximately USD 10
million).
- Represented
a Hong Kong-listed company in a shareholder dispute against a Chinese-background
Thai enterprise group, with a total value of THB200 million (approximately USD 5.5
million).
- Represented
a major electric power generation company in
Thailand in a commercial dispute against an
international company under THAC arbitration, resulting in compensation of more than THB 150million
(approximately USD 5 million).
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EducationBachelor of Laws, LL.B. (First Class Honors), Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, 2019 Bar AdmissionsLawyers Council Under the Royal Patronage, Lawyer License, 2021
Lawyers Council Under the Royal Patronage, Notarial Services Attorney, 2021 LanguagesThai, English, Mandarin Chinese |