In December of this year, amendments to Thailand’s Civil Procedure Code which provide for a form of class action litigation will become effective. The introduction of class actions will likely have a fundamental impact on the Thai legal system.

David Lawrence, a consultant in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution group, will participate as a panelist at the Questex 7th Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference on “Investment Opportunities, Strategies, and Partnerships in Asia’s Most Desirable Markets.” David, together with two other panelists, including Rustom Vickers, Group Director of Development at Dusit International, and Jens Reichert, Vice President of Development – Asia-Pacific at Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, will engage in a discussion on the topic: “Reinvestigating Deal Structures, Incentive Fees, and Termination Clau

In December 2015, class action lawsuits will become available in Thailand, following a recent amendment of the Civil Procedure Code. If the experiences of other jurisdictions serve as a good indicator, the availability of class actions could represent a fundamental shift in the Thai legal landscape.

The National Legislative Assembly has passed a bill amending the Civil Procedure Code to allow class action legal proceedings in Thailand. Class action lawsuits were not previously available in Thai proceedings, so this marks a notable development in the country’s court system. The Thai class action legislation contains basic similarities to class actions in jurisdictions such as the United States, albeit with significant differences in both substance and procedure.