Rachata Champathong
Rachata Champathong is a senior associate in the disputes practice with a particular focus on class actions and international arbitration.
Rachata has extensive experience in advising domestic and international clients on a wide range of commercial disputes. Rachata's expertise spans across a broad spectrum of areas, including class actions, international arbitration, cross-border disputes, and commercial litigation. He regularly appears as an advocate at Thai courts for high-value and complex disputes.
Rachata has been described as "detailed and meticulous associate", "one to watch", "competent and well organised", and for "high-quality advice and professionalism" (The Legal 500 Asia Pacific), "Rachata is an extremely capable lawyer", "proactive in foreseeing and pre-empting emerging issues", "very practical and has excellent communication skills in delivering detailed and complicated information" and "Rachata put us at ease in relation to proceedings in a foreign jurisdiction" (Lexology). He is an exclusive winner of the Lexology Client Choice Awards 2021 and 2022 in the area of Litigation, Thailand. Rachata has also been recognised as Thailand Rising Stars by Asian Legal Business, 2023.
Rachata often serves as a guest lecturer at leading law schools in Thailand.
Accolades
- ALB Thailand Rising Stars
Asian Legal Business, 2023 - Client Choice Award
Lexology Client Choice Awards, 2021 - 2022 - “detailed and meticulous associate"
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2018
Memberships
- Thai Barrister-at-Law, Thai Bar Association – 2011
- Lawyers License, Lawyers Council of Thailand – 2009
Background
Fluent in Thai and English, Rachata graduated from Thammasat University. He received two masters' degrees from Thammasat University and University College London. Rachata is qualified as a Thai Barrister-at-law and is a current member of the Thai Bar Association. Based in Bangkok, Rachata has experience working for our Singapore office during his secondment in 2023 to 2024.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
Experience in International Arbitration
- Southeast Asia’s prominent cement and construction company in an international arbitration with regard to a breach of the joint venture agreement for the amount worth approximately USD 400 million under ICC Rules in Singapore
- a leading multinational energy company in an international arbitration with regard to a breach of the sale agreement for approximately THB 600 million under ICC Rules in Singapore
- Domestic and international clients in international arbitration under the auspices of ICC, SIAC and HKIAC, including representation of a leading distributor of lifestyle accessories company in Thailand in an international arbitration with regard to a breach of the sale agreement under SIAC Rules in Singapore
Experience in Class Action
- a listed Japanese holding company for finance businesses and its Singapore subsidiary in relation to a class action lawsuit brought against them in Thailand in relation to its investment in a Thai listed company and litigation arising from suspected fraudulent use of the invested monies by the ex-chairman of the Thai company
- a leading real estate developer in relation to a consumer class action lawsuit arising from one of the residential projects worth over THB 2 billion
- Domestic clients on defences against foreign class action suits, including the representation of one of the largest petroleum producers in Thailand in relation to class action suits launched in a foreign jurisdiction
Experience in Commercial Disputes and others
- a listed Japanese holding company and its Singapore subsidiary, in defending a tort claim brought against them in the Thai court by a Thai listed company for approximately THB 9.1 billion
- One of the consortiums consisting of a public company being a majority shareholder of Bangkok mass transit system company, a regional airline based in Bangkok and a publicly listed engineering and construction company in Thailand in a dispute regarding an international airport project
- Domestic and international clients on legal issues specific to a wide range of industries, such as insurance, hospitality and real estate, automotive, aviation, industrials and manufacturing, technology and media, including a representation of a major real estate developer in Phuket, Thailand in relation to a contractual dispute at the Thai court in parallel with an international arbitration under SIAC Rules at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre
