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San Chaithiraphant

Senior Associate & Patent Agent

Biography

San Chaithiraphant is a senior associate and patent agent in Tilleke & Gibbins’ intellectual property group in Bangkok. With extensive experience in intellectual property and technology-related matters, San assists clients with a wide range of legal needs, including patent prosecution, claim drafting, freedom-to-operate searches, and others. He handles contentious patent matters and advises companies across all industries on copyright issues, and also leads the firm’s plant variety protection practice in Thailand.

San excels in the technological fields of chemistry, materials science, computer-related inventions, and life sciences. He is part of Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional life sciences and technology industry groups, which bring together specialists from the firm’s offices across the region to offer comprehensive solutions to multinational companies.

With a deep understanding of inventive processes and commercialization, San’s advice is sought by innovators of all sizes, ranging from individual inventors, academic spinoffs, startups, SMEs, and publicly listed companies to local and international conglomerates. He is also a frequent guest lecturer on intellectual property at various leading universities in Thailand.

San holds an LLM in Intellectual Property and Digital Economy from the University of Glasgow, along with advanced degrees in engineering and chemical engineering. San is both a licensed engineer and a Thai-licensed lawyer.

Experience

  • Provided advice to a Thai startup in the personalized healthcare industry, which entailed drafting and prosecuting several international and national-phase PCT applications that contributed to the success of client’s seed funding and overseas establishments.
  • Advised a Thai publicly listed company in the energy industry on cross-border technology transfer projects relating to electrochemical cells.
  • Advised clients in the software industry on employee intellectual property agreements.
  • Advised a client in the fintech industry on a software licensing agreement.
  • Prepared arguments in support for a patent’s validity and infringement in landmark patent litigation on aquaculture technology, which was awarded the highest financial damages to date for a patent infringement case in Thailand.
  • Prepared a technology transfer license agreement between a Thai toy manufacturer (client and licensor) and a foreign manufacturer (licensee).
  • Provided freedom-to-operate and invalidity opinions to a Thai-foreign joint venture operating in the field of specialty polymers to assess legal risks before the construction of a production facility.
  • Provided a complex legal consultation relating to a Thai patent application on polymer synthesis, including non-infringement and prior-user rights analyses, and assessment of the strengths of defenses.
  • Conducted a patent landscape study and provided advice on the study to a Thai government’s research agency.
  • Led patent due diligence projects in the fields of medical devices and industrial engineering, among others.
  • Developed a track record of overcoming office actions against the patentability of certain types of computer-related inventions.
  • Conducted utility and design patents’ freedom-to-operate analyses, as well as infringement analyses, on behalf of clients in a wide range of industries.
  • Filed and successfully registered patents, petty patents, and designs with the Thai Department of Intellectual Property.
  • Represented clients in filing responses to office actions, oppositions, and cancellations to strengthen and defend their valuable patents.
  • Conducted regulatory due diligence for acquisitions by a number of multinational clients.
  • Advised on laws and regulations related to medical devices, drugs, and controlled foods.
  • Assisted clients in life sciences regulatory compliance through every stage of their products’ life cycles.
  • Supported clients’ market entries by advising on product promotional activities in a range of media.
  • Reviewed regulatory service agreements for several global medical device companies.
  • Provided advice on complex issues involving multiple fields of law, including contracts, intellectual property, regulatory affairs, computer crimes, and data protection.
ABOUT San

Industries

Life Sciences

Technology

Practices

Intellectual Property

Regulatory Affairs

Location

Languages

    Thai

    English

Education

    LLM, University of Glasgow

    LLB, Ramkhamhaeng University

    MChE, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi

    BEng, Chulalongkorn University

Insights

August 20, 2026
As part of its membership in Lex Mundi, Tilleke & Gibbins has released the latest edition of its Guide to Doing Business in Thailand, providing an overview of the legal, regulatory, and commercial considerations for companies establishing or expanding operations in Thailand. The 2026 edition offers practical insight into the country’s business environment, investment framework, and operational requirements. The guide covers a wide range of topics relevant to foreign and domestic investors, including: Investment incentives and promotion schemes Financial facilities and banking regulations Exchange controls and money transfers Import and export regulations Business structures and incorporation options Requirements for establishing a business Operational and compliance considerations Business cessation and insolvency procedures Employment and labor laws Taxation Immigration and visa requirements Prepared by Tilleke & Gibbins lawyers across multiple practice areas, the publication outlines key aspects of doing business in Thailand, including foreign investment restrictions, regulatory compliance obligations, corporate structures, employment requirements, and recent legal and economic developments affecting investors. The publication forms part of Lex Mundi’s Country Guides series, a global collection of jurisdiction-specific reference materials prepared by member firms around the world. Together, these guides help companies evaluate opportunities, compare regulatory environments, and plan international business activities across multiple markets. The full Guide to Doing Business in Thailand 2026 is available through the button below.
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December 9, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins is proud to announce that four litigation cases handled by the firm have been selected among the nine Distinguished Judgment Awards granted by Thailand’s Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court (IP&IT Court) for the period from October 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025. This recognition highlights the complexity, novelty, and legal significance of these cases, which were chosen based on stringent criteria including new legal issues, high evidentiary volume, and intricate legal arguments. Among these four cases, one was singled out as the “Most Distinguished Judgment” – the landmark trademark squatting case involving the trademark rights of our client, Thailand’s largest state-owned energy conglomerate, and its subsidiary. In this case, the defendants had filed 52 trademark applications mimicking our client’s marks, making it the largest trademark squatting dispute in Thai history. On April 30, 2025, the IP&IT Court ordered the cancellation of multiple infringing trademarks, setting a benchmark for IP enforcement against trademark squatters in Thailand. The other three recognized cases demonstrate Tilleke & Gibbins’ breadth of expertise in IP litigation: Patent infringement and invalidation involving trade secrets misappropriation. Trade dress infringement of a unique packaging. Landmark Luckin Coffee case involving trademark infringement and invalidation. The IP&IT Court handles approximately 200 IP civil litigation cases each year, and our IP litigation team has typically been involved in 25–30% of them, reflecting our dominant role in shaping IP jurisprudence in Thailand.
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Awards & Rankings

September 11, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been named TMT Firm of the Year at the Asia Legal Awards 2026, presented by Law.com International. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony in Singapore on September 10, 2026. The TMT Firm of the Year award recognizes Tilleke & Gibbins’ work in the technology, media, and telecommunications sector, where its lawyers advise clients on complex legal and regulatory matters arising from technological development and the rapidly evolving digital economy. The Asia Legal Awards recognize significant transactions, cases, and legal work across Asia. Presented by Law.com International and open to law firms with offices in the region, the awards honor the firms, teams, and individuals demonstrating innovation, impact, and excellence in the legal industry. For more information, please see the full list of Asia Legal Awards 2026 winners and finalists.
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August 13, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been recognized in the inaugural Asia Top Cybersecurity & Data Law Firms 2026 list from Asian Legal Business (ALB), published in the magazine’s August 2026 edition. The new ranking highlights leading law firms across Asia with dedicated cybersecurity, privacy, and data regulation practices, recognizing firms with a proven track record of advising clients on complex cybersecurity and data law matters. Tilleke & Gibbins is one of only 21 firms included in the inaugural list, reflecting the firm’s strength in data privacy, cybersecurity, technology, and regulatory matters throughout Southeast Asia. According to ALB, the firms selected for inclusion are recognized for their capabilities in areas such as privacy compliance, incident response, digital investigations, and technology-enabled client service. The recognition underscores the continued growth and regional prominence of Tilleke & Gibbins’ data privacy and cybersecurity practice, which advises clients across a broad range of industries on data protection compliance, cybersecurity preparedness and response, technology transactions, digital platform regulation, and emerging regulatory developments. This latest honor reflects the firm’s commitment to helping clients navigate an increasingly complex digital and regulatory landscape and reinforces its reputation as a leading adviser on technology, privacy, and cybersecurity issues across the region.
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June 4, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has reinforced its position as one of Southeast Asia’s leading patent practices in the newly released IAM Patent 1000 2026, earning top-tier firm rankings in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, alongside 23 individual recognitions across the region. The firm achieved Gold rankings in Thailand and Vietnam and a Highly Recommended ranking in Indonesia—the highest tier available in the jurisdiction—highlighting the strength and consistency of its regional patent practice. This marks the firm’s 14th consecutive year in the top tier for Thailand, seventh consecutive year for Vietnam, and third straight year ranked among Indonesia’s leading firms. The firm’s strong regional performance is further reflected in the individual rankings, with the following Tilleke & Gibbins practitioners recognized for their expertise in patent law: Indonesia Irene Djalim Melinda Ambrizal Wongrat Ratanaprayul Thailand Alan Adcock Atthachai Homhuan Darani Vachanavuttivong Jakkrit Kuanpoth Napagate Triratana Nattriya Supmoon Nuttaphol Arammuang Peeyakorn Suparugbundit San Chaithiraphant Somboon Earterasarun Suebsiri Taweepon Sukontip Jitmongkolthong Wong Vorravitwattana Vietnam Dat Thanh Nguyen Giang Hoang Bach Hien Thi Thu Vu Hung Tuan Nguyen Linh Duy Mai Loc Xuan Le Thanh Phuong Vu The IAM Patent 1000 identifies the world’s leading patent firms and practitioners through extensive qualitative research based on feedback from clients, peers, and industry stakeholders. For more details, please see the IAM Patent 1000 rankings for Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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May 14, 2026
Asian Legal Business (ALB) has published the ALB Asia IP Rankings 2026, the latest edition of its annual guide recognizing leading intellectual property firms across the region. Continuing the approach introduced last year, the rankings present a unified table in each jurisdiction, combining patent and trademark/copyright work to provide a more holistic view of the IP market. Tilleke & Gibbins has retained strong rankings in all three jurisdictions covered by the survey: Thailand: Tier 1 Vietnam: Tier 1 Indonesia: Tier 2 The rankings are based on work conducted between February 2025 and February 2026, covering both ongoing and completed contentious and noncontentious matters. ALB’s research draws on firm submissions, client feedback, editorial resources, and market input to identify the region’s leading IP practices. Tilleke & Gibbins’ IP team has maintained a strong track record across all ranked jurisdictions since the inception of the ALB IP Rankings in 2018. To view the full rankings, please see the May 2026 issue of ALB.
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