Theeranit Pongpanarat

Theeranit Pongpanarat

Partner
Baker & McKenzie Limited Attorneys at Law

Biography

Theeranit joined Baker & McKenzie in 2013 and is now one of the key partners in the Employment & Compensation Practice Group in Bangkok, handling a number of high profile clients across a wide spectrum of employment issues. He has steadily earned trust and recognitions from a number of Baker & McKenzie key clients on his expertise in the Thai employment laws and regulations, and for his proactive and responsive approach in handling clients' matters.

Practice Focus

With a solid grounding in the Thai employment laws and corporate and general commercial laws, and understanding of the global employment trends, Theeranit combines his in-depth knowledge of local regulatory regime with global perspective for the benefit of the clients across all sectors including the manufacturing, healthcare, electronics, automotive, retail and banking sectors.

He has acted for clients on a whole range of issues such as hiring and terminating senior executives and directors, industrial disputes, post-termination restrictions enforcements, work permit and immigration complexities, employee’s benefits and welfare planning.

Theeranit also advises and assists the client extensively in the area on fraud and discrimination and harassment investigations, including the high-profile fraud.

Work safety is one of the areas where Theeranit has established experience. It is the area that requires regulatory and practical experience that has not yet generally been offered by other international law firms and requires regulatory expertise. Theeranit has assisted a number of high profile cases in Thailand over the past four to five on similar compliance matter of the work safety laws that are also related to the general labour laws, criminal and civil laws.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advised clients on their investigation of their personnel, and advising steps and procedures to gather relevant facts and evidences as part of the investigation, providing the legal analysis and implications on labour, civil and criminal laws.
  • Advised clients on the internal investigations following incidents in the workplace, the legal obligations on Thailand's work safety requirements, the legal position of clients and representing the clients in the work safety investigation conducted by the authorities.
  • Advised and assisted clients in restructuring its workforce and its implementation and legal procedures.
  • Advised clients on labour-related litigations, including planning strategies against former employees.
  • Represented a subsidiary of a multinational technology company in court on an unfair termination case.
  • Advised and represented a global pharmaceutical company on the possible sanctions against an employee holding top senior management position for breaching client's policies on gifts.
  • Advised multiple multinational companies on the fraud investigations on the employees and the implications under Thai employment laws.
  • Advised on labour law issues relevant to the welfare and benefits for each level of employees within the business.
  • Advised multinational companies on global mobility issues, including the hiring, and transferring foreign executives to work and stay in Thailand. 
  • Advised on and preparing the employment-related documents,  commercial contracts, service agreements, hire-of-work contracts, employment contracts, outsourcing agreements including work regulations and employee handbook; assisting in filing them with relevant officials.

Professional Honors

  • Rising Star in Labour and Employment, Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2022
  • "Up and Coming for Employment" in Thailand by Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Institute of Legal Education of the Thai Bar (Thai Barrister-at-Law)
  • The Lawyers Council of Thailand

Admissions

  • Thailand (2009)

Education

  • University of Melbourne (LL.M., Merit) (2012)
  • University College London (LL.M.) (2011)
  • Chulalongkorn University (LL.B., 2nd Honors) (2008)

Languages

  • English
  • Thai
  • Co-author, "Mandatory vaccination: What employers should know", Baker McKenzie, June 2022
  • Co-author, "Improving equality in the workplace: Gender pay gap", Baker McKenzie, May 2022
  • Co-author, "Metaverse and the future of work" Baker McKenzie, May 2022
  • Co-author, "Riding the Waves: what the workplace post-pandemic might look like?" Baker McKenzie, October 2021
  • Co-author, "The gender gap in retirement" Bangkok Post, September 2021
  • Co-author, "Balancing work obligations during an outbreak", Bangkok Post, February 2020
  • Co-author, "Managing Talent in the new economy", Bangkok Post, March 2018
  • Co-author, "Addressing the Gender Pay Gap", Bangkok Post, February 2018
  • Co-author, "Toeing the line: disciplinary actions against employees", Bangkok Post, December 2014.
  • Co-author, "Employer Beware! New Obligations on Hazardous Chemicals Safety," The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association e-Newsletter, February 2014