Alternative Dispute Resolution in Thailand

If you are doing business in Thailand you might have already had some experience with the local court system. An all too common complaint of the local business community is that court proceedings in Thailand are agonizingly slow. Furthermore, a non-Thai businessman usually does not understand the proceedings, since the official language in Thai courts is Thai. Finally, a domestic court ruling is generally not enforceable in another country and if one or both of the parties does not live in Thailand and/or has their assets in another country, a domestic court "win"  might be a "hollow victory".

But what's the alternative? You may have heard of "alternative dispute resolution". The "alternative" means "other than going to court". One such longstanding alternative gaining evermore international recognition, is arbitration. Arbitration is the most commonly used formal alternative to domestic court proceedings, especially for disputes between parties in different countries.

Olaf Duensing is a licensed German attorney and trained tax law specialist who has been working in Thailand as a legal consultant since 2001.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

Jerrold Kippen is a licensed California attorney who has been working as a legal consultant in Thailand since 2003.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

Weeraya Kippen is a licensed Thai attorney who has been working in Thailand since 2007.

She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

Tippaya Moonmanee is a licensed Thai attorney who has been working in Thailand since 2010.

She is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (ACIArb).