Somboon joined Kudun & Partners as a senior associate and became a partner in 2019. He is active in dispute resolution and litigation practice. He possesses extensive knowledge and skills in negotiation, commercial and business litigation, domestic and international arbitration, administrative law, insolvency & bankruptcy law. Somboon also has substantial experience in procurement, labour/employment law, insurance, IP and consumer protection. He regularly acts for major domestic and international clients as their trusted business advisor and he is highly sought-after for his in-depth legal knowledge and extensive litigation experience across a wide scope of industries.
Languages
Publications and Presentations
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- Author of “Thailand: Sexual harassment in the workplace” published on Conventus Law.
Awards and Rankings
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- Litigation Star Practitioner by Benchmark Litigation, 2024
- Next Generation Partners by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2023
- Rising Star Partner in Restructuring and Insolvency by IFLR1000, 2022-2024
- Runner up in Thailand lawyer of the year by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific awards 2022
- Ranked as a Band 4 lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific, 2021-2024
- Notable practitioner in Dispute Resolution by Asialaw 2021-2024
- Notable Practitioner by IFLR1000, 2019 – 2021
- Recommended lawyer in Dispute Resolution by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2020 – 2021
- Recommended lawyer in Projects and Energy by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2021
- Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year in Thailand by Leaders in Law, 2021
- Recognised in Litigation by Client Choice Award 2019
Education and Admission
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- LL.B, Thammasat University, Thailand
- B.B.A Major in Accounting, Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, Thailand
Professional Qualifications
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- Barrister-at-Law, the Thai Bar Association
- Member, the Lawyer Council of Thailand
A selection of matters in which Somboon has been involved include:
Administrative Disputes
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- Defending one of the eight subsidiaries of one of the largest wind farms in Southeast Asia with a total capacity of over 700MW and over 10 licenses from EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand).
- Representing one of the oldest printing companies in Thailand in connection with its passport production bidding in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Representing one of the largest telecommunication companies in connection with the rights to broadcast a major sports event to its viewers under the Must Carry rules specified by the Office of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
Commercial Disputes
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- Representing one of the largest telephone voice and data communications services provider in successfully defending the client against one of Thailand’s leading cable satellite TV providers from copyright violation claims related to the English Premier League.
- Representing Chewathai Public Company Limited, a leading residential and real estate developer in Thailand as defendants in a land access dispute against its residents in the area.
- Representing a leading hotel group in a civil case against an international construction company for damages incurred in an amount over THB 3 billion (USD 97 million).
- Representing Uniqlo, a global Japanese clothing apparel company in defending a claim against its supplier.
- Representing a major European luxury automotive company on various legal issues including labour disputes and compliance.
- Representing a full-service brokerage firm on its defense against investor claims on debt securities issued by a company that was sold five years ago and went default for the amount of THB 200 million (USD 6.1 million).
- Representing an investment company as defendant against claims regarding one of Thailand’s renowned securities scandal by one of the major property holding companies involved in city projects for the amount of THB 100 million (USD 3 million).
Restructuring and Insolvency
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- Representing a total of 87 savings co-operatives consisting of state-owned enterprises, universities, corporations and hospitals, the largest group of creditors of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) in THAI’s business rehabilitation proceeding, holding an aggregate debt of THB 45.65 billion or approximately 65% of the airline’s debenture debts and 13% of the airline’s total debt.
- Representing AEC Securities PCL., Country Group Securities PCL., Srisawad Finance PCL. (BFIT), and Volvo Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd., creditors of THAI’s business rehabilitation proceeding in connection with their debt claims with THAI.
- Representing several high net worth individuals who are creditors of THAI’s business rehabilitation proceeding in connection with their debt claims with THAI.
- Representing the second-largest bank in South Korea, Shinhan Bank, which is a creditor, on its syndicate loan dispute with Jasmine International PCL (JAS) that went through a business restructuring and rehabilitation plan for the amount of USD 9.6 million.
- Defending a major international bank in connection with criminal allegations filed by its debtors and a business reorganization.
Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT)
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- Representing one of the leading telecommunications providers and its subsidiary in Thailand in defending the case, which includes a challenge on a request by the plaintiffs to apply class action procedure to this case concerning more than 41 million users in the amount totaling approximately THB 19 billion (USD 577.6 million).
- Representing Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) on its claims against a former state enterprise of the Thai government.
- Representing a leading telecommunication company in relation to the contractual claim made by a former state enterprise of the Thai Government.
Oil & Gas
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- Representing one of the largest national petroleum companies in connection with its investigation and litigation in relation to its palm-oil business totaling THB 22.5 billion (USD 727 million).
- Representing one of the largest oil and gas companies in the region for claim damages against its former employee due to business operation negligence in the amount of billions of THB.
- Representing one of the leading national petroleum companies in connection with several criminal allegations made by the National Anti-Corruption Committee.
- Representing a major independent oil and gas company in one of the largest environmental impact claims in southern Thailand to protect the client’s oil and gas exploration development and production concessions.
- Representing Thailand’s largest oil & gas producer in an appeal for a claim against the Revenue Department of Thailand with the filing of an appeal in the Tax Court of Thailand regarding a major tax assessment of revenues and expenses related to offshore production.
Criminal Cases
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- Representing a high net worth individual client on their defense against criminal allegations related to fraudulent documents.
- Representing a high net worth individual client in its claim for a family heritage including business entities, which was not accorded to the client worth billions in THB.
- Representing a group of foreign directors of the Thai subsidiary of a Japanese plastic manufacturing group in defending criminal allegations made by its local business partner in Thai court.
- Representing an international truck manufacturer in several civil claims and criminal charges made by former senior management regarding unfair dismissal, defamation and perjury criminal offenses.
- Representing one of the largest Thai steel manufacturers in a criminal case at the Economic Crime Suppression Division against the Thai and US banks regarding international fraud.