Warathorn Wongsawangsiri

Practice Areas

Warathorn is regarded as one of the market's leading and talented advocate with over 20 years of experience in Thailand and other Asian region. Described as an "Excellent Practitioner", “National Leader – Southeast Asia", "Lawyer of the Year", "Litigation Star for Commercial and Transactions" and " Southeast Asia Arbitration Powerlist", Warathorn has developed a strong reputation for advising and representing major corporations and conglomerates in many of the country's most complex and high-profile commercial dispute matters.

He has worked extensively with clients throughout the entire dispute resolution processes including Thai court litigation, domestic and international arbitration (TAI, THAC, ICC, SIAC and HKIAC) and mediation. He has also advised clients in administrative law, bankruptcy and rehabilitation, class action, corporate and commercial, corporate governance and director liability, corporate investigations and compliance projects, concession, shareholders dispute, and product liability.

Warathorn's expertise spans across a broad spectrum of industries, including, automotive, aviation, banks and financial institutions, construction, engineering and infrastructure, consumer and retail, energy (oil and gas and renewables), government and public sector, healthcare, hospitality and real estate, insurance, manufacturing and industrials, private capital, transportation and logistics, technology, media and telecommunications and more. His experience is also extended to the role of arbitrator in which he has been appointed by various institutions (SIAC, THAC, TAI and YSIAC) as a sole or co-arbitrator.

Fluent in Thai and English, Warathorn Wongsawangsiri was admitted to practice in 2004. He received a bachelor's degree in law (First Class Honours) from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, and a master's degree in law (Honours) from Northwestern University School of Law in the United States. Warathorn is qualified as a Thai Barrister-at-Law and is a member of the Thai Bar Association.

Career

Warathorn joined Herbert Smith Freehills' Bangkok office as a Partner in the disputes practice group in 2019. Appointed in 2023, Warathorn currently serves as the Managing Partner for Herbert Smith Freehills' Bangkok office.

Professional Memberships

Thai Barrister-at-Law, Thai Bar Association – 2005

Lawyers License, Lawyers Council of Thailand – 2004

Commission on Arbitration & ADR of ICC Thailand

Reserved arbitrator of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre

Publications

Co-author of Thailand chapter of the Brazilian ADR Journal: Mediation in Thailand (Brazilian ADR Journal 2023)

Author of Thailand chapter to the thirteenth edition of The Restructuring Review (The Law Reviews 2020)

Author of the Thailand chapters of The International Arbitration Review (The Law Reviews 2015-2018)

Author of the Dispute Resolution Law Guide (LexisNexis 2018)

Industry Sector Expertise

Automotive

Aviation

Banks and financial institutions

Construction, engineering and infrastructure

Consumer and retail

Energy (oil and gas and renewables)

Government and public sector

Healthcare

Hospitality and real estate

Insurance

Manufacturing and industrials

Private capital

Transportation and logistics

Technology, media and telecommunications

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Thailand

Languages Spoken

Thai

English

Personal

https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/our-people/w/warathorn-wongsawangsiri