IAS Advisory enjoys beach getaway trip to charming Cha-Am

IAS Advisory recently returned from its annual company outing! The team enjoyed three days, from 17-19th May, in Thailand’s Phetchaburi province, near the famous beach getaway of Cha-Am.

We stayed at the lovely Vela Villa resort, located between the beaches of Chaosamran and Puak Tian, which is an area still largely untouched by tourists.

As part of the firm’s ongoing expansion we have recently welcomed several new joiners, and the resort provided the perfect balance of exclusivity and privacy needed for connecting new teams and building relationships and was an ideal place for us to relax and unwind.

The trip afforded us the opportunity to fully recharge our batteries ahead of another really busy year, as well as undertake various joint exercises and team-building activities in an ideal beach retreat setting.

Party activities included football, karaoke, pool/snooker, swimming and of course lots of eating, including several delicious BBQ dinners! These in addition to staff feedback and development sessions, which focussed on inspiring collaboration and engagement and creating a healthy and positive work environment at the firm.

The IAS Advisory team is already looking forward to its next adventure!

Anuwat makes further appearances on national TV in Thailand

Stay tuned for more appearances by IAS Advisory co-founding partner Mr Anuwat Ngamprasertkul on Thai national television later this month.

Anuwat recently filmed episodes of the popular news and current affairs programme Home Economy, hosted by veteran news anchor, reporter and journalist Dr Wit Sittivaekin.

Anuwat appears in his role as a senior legal consultant to discuss topics including:

Adverse possession,” a legal doctrine under which a person in possession of someone else’s land is able to acquire valid title to it. Anuwat covers the do’s and don’ts for landlords for avoiding and dealing with this issue;

Freelancing,” with Anuwat identifying the legal implications of freelance work and how to stay protected under the law; and

Family business management,” with Anuwat offering guidance on how to protect one’s business and estate for the next generation and also avoid family disputes.

All episodes will be broadcast on Thai PBS, Thailand’s public broadcasting service.

Watch this space!

Asia Business Law Journal names the country’s top law firms

IAS Advisory was delighted to be named recently among Thailand’s top law firms by Asia Business Law Journal (ABLJ). ABLJ offers expert analysis and resources for Asia-focused in-house counsel and lawyers in private practice, providing unique insight into Asia’s legal landscape and informed commentary on the region’s top achievers.

After winning the New Firm to Watch and Data Compliance & Cyber Security awards last year, IAS Advisory was among the winners in this year’s Real Estate and Litigation categories, overseen respectively by firm co-founders Mr Ittinant Suwanjutha and Mr Anuwat Ngamprasertkul.

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Anuwat joins 5th International Arbitration & Corporate Crime Summit

Co-founding partner Mr Anuwat Ngamprasertkul was delighted to join the recent Legal Plus “Thailand & SE Asia: 5th International Arbitration & Corporate Crime Summit,” which took place at the Rembrandt Hotel & Suites Bangkok.

The event, on Thursday 14th March, was attended by international legal experts and industry luminaries and was organised by Legal Plus, a global events specialist that creates and manages annual summits, forums and seminars throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The organisation partners with leading industry companies around the world as well as government institutions, leading arbitration centres and chambers of commerce.

Anuwat joined the event’s 3rd Grand Panel, on “Dispute Avoidance, Crisis Management and Being Prepared for Trial – Cross Examination Tips and Techniques,” with Mr Sameet Ghambir (Vice President (Corp. Law) and Company Secretary at DCM Shriram Ltd.) and Ms Dawn Tan (Managing Director at ADTLaw LLC). The panel was moderated by Mr Charlie Manzoni KC, SC of 39 Essex Chambers.

During his segment, Anuwat covered: dispute avoidance through customised contracts tailored to align with commercial terms and conditions; crisis management and damage control via the Thai ADR process; mediation for certain types of civil and criminal cases under the new Dispute Mediation Act 2019; the standard mediation process in the Thai court system, including in-court settlements and judgments; mediation and arbitration processes in Thailand, including their pros and cons in comparison with other methods; the arbitration process at THAC (Thai Arbitration Center); small claims procedures; and online dispute resolution procedures.

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Anuwat lectures at British Club Bangkok for “Elite Wealth Group”

IAS Advisory co-founding partner Mr Anuwat Ngamprasertkul was delighted to be asked to give a special lecture at the “Family Business Succession & Vino Voyage for Elite Partnerships” event at The British Club Bangkok (BC).

The sharing session, which took place on Wednesday 28th February, was organised by the Elite Wealth Group of Fivewhale, Thailand’s executive education academy headed up by Mr Suphachai Sukhanindr and Ms Pichanya Kanchanaporn.

Anuwat’s lecture was on “Succession Planning: Legal Frameworks for Seamless Family Business Transitions.” Topics covered included how to organise the family business holding structure, how to determine the stakeholders and give fairness incentives in the family business, and cases involving disputes and what we can learn from them.

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MEDIA: Thailand to repeal law imposing criminal liability for bad cheques

Until recently, issuing a cheque without sufficient funds was a criminal offence in Thailand, and people convicted of using a bad cheque faced possible jail time. But the Thai Cabinet has now approved a bill decriminalising “bounced” cheques under most circumstances, so that people are not faced with imprisonment simply because of defaulting on debt repayment.

Reservations about repealing the law have been expressed, however, due to the significant damages bad cheques cause to creditors in terms of time and resources and the lengthy civil proceedings that are required to recover payments. Others argue that criminal liability should be retained not just for the most serious offences, but if it can be proved that a debtor has issued a cheque dishonestly without the intention to pay.

Join the discussion with IAS Advisory co-founding partner Mr Anuwat Ngamprasertkul in an episode of the popular evening TV programme Home Economy, hosted by veteran news anchor, reporter and journalist Dr Wit Sittivaekin

This episode premiered on Tuesday 2nd January 2024 on Thai PBS, Thailand’s public broadcasting service. Disclaimer: all content is owned by Thai PBS. Visit the Thai PBS website HERE.

IAS Advisory included in prestigious Chambers Global Legal Guide 2024

IAS Advisory is honoured that Chambers & Partners, which publishes the world’s leading guides to the legal profession, has ranked the firm in its Global Guide 2024 for its capabilities in Corporate/M&A.

The accolade follows the firm’s inclusion earlier this year in Chambers’ region specific Asia-Pacific Guide, and is a credit to the efforts of the whole of the firm’s Corporate/M&A team.

Chambers Global only ranks practice areas that are renowned for cross-border work. Firms ranked in Chambers Global are considered experts in their field and the go-to contact for international legal buyers, attracting clients—from large corporations to niche startups—who are particularly interested in firms able to advise them in multi-jurisdictional mandates.

IAS Advisory’s Corporate/M&A department is led by Ms Siripen Kulworakulpitak, one of Bangkok’s most prominent high-end corporate lawyers and one of the country’s very few female law firm founders. Her team also contains rising star senior associate Ms Sukontharat Nobnom.

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MEDIA: how to find and invest in a worthwhile franchise

Finding the right franchise to invest in can be difficult. Normally, franchisees pay a royalty and initial fee to utilise a franchisor’s brand and business model. This typically requires a large upfront investment. So, how do you recognise a worthwhile franchise opportunity? How can you capitalise? What criteria should you consider when investing?

Watch IAS Advisory co-founding partner Mr Anuwat Ngamprasertkul and Mr Suttichai Panitnarakul, President of the Franchise & License Association of Thailand, in an episode of the popular evening TV programme Home Economy, hosted by veteran news anchor, reporter and journalist Dr Wit Sittivaekin.

This episode premiered on Wednesday 20th December 2023 on Thai PBS, Thailand’s public broadcasting service. Disclaimer: all content is owned by Thai PBS. Visit the Thai PBS website HERE.

Anuwat joins family conflict & inheritance management seminar at AFBE

The Association of Family Business Entrepreneurs (AFBE) held a private seminar on “inheritance management and reducing family conflict” last month, which IAS Advisory co-founder Mr Anuwat Ngamprasertkul attended as a guest speaker.

The seminar covered a range of topics including the root causes of disputes in families, normal proceedings for estate allocation after death including the most common contentious issues, and the smart way to avoid disagreements and sustain the family business.

The event, which took place on 29th January, welcomed guests including family leaders, heirs, entrepreneurs, and estate managers.

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Siripen joins teams committee at 6th National Mediation Competition

IAS Advisory co-founding partner Ms Siripen Kulworakulpitak was delighted to join the committee for selecting teams at the recent National Mediation Competition 2024. The competition was held over three days from 23-25th January 2024 at the Thailand Arbitration Center (THAC) in Bangkok.

Now in its sixth year, the event brings together Thailand’s next generation of mediators and negotiators and aims to encourage greater innovation, creativity and leadership. Using simulations of commercial disputes, participants get to put theory into practice and test strategies and tactics in a fun but competitive environment.

The event offers a great opportunity for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year degree students to participate in a mediation from start to finish. They gain practical experience of the whole process, from ensuring equal participation, to gathering viewpoints, to determining interests, from assessing possibilities, to creating win-win options, to finally outlining an effective compromise agreement.

Participants also get a chance to showcase their skills, connect with peers, and discuss the very latest mediation and negotiation techniques.

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