DFDL Legal & Tax > Bangkok, Thailand > Firm Profile

DFDL Legal & Tax
NO. 3, RAJANAKARN BUILDING, AA FLOOR, SOUTH SATHORN ROAD
YANNAWA SUB-DISTRICT, SATHORN DISTRICT
BANGKOK METROPOLIS 10120
Thailand

Thailand > Projects and energy Tier 2

David Doran, Audray Souche, Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan, Kraisorn Rueangkul and Walanchathas Sanguanwong steer the DFDL Legal & Tax practice, which demonstrates particular capabilities in managing cross-border deals across Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam. The team leverages its considerable experience across a variety of industries, such as energy, infrastructure and manufacturing, to handle matters for a diverse roster of clients that includes start-ups, private clients and Thai and international corporations. Souche fields a strong practice in public-private projects, leading multiple project finance and project development assignments, and Supha-Utchaichan is well-equipped to handle foreign direct investment, corporate transactions, M&A and financings. Rueangkul is particularly experienced in cross-border mergers and investments in the Mekong region, while Sanguanwong is geared to handle structuring acquisition and finance deals.

Practice head(s):

David Doran; Audray Souche; Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan; Kraisorn Rueangkul; Walanchathas Sanguanwong

Key clients

RATCH Group

A Consortium of Thai lenders (Krung Thai Bank as Intercreditor Agent)

Sinohydro (Hong Kong) Holding Co. (a subsidiary of Power China)

Impact Energy Asia Development Limited

B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited as the sponsor and Ray Power Supply Co., Ltd. as the borrower

Ardian

B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited (Sponsor), B.Grimm Solar Power, Inc (Project Company)

Work highlights

  • Assisting a consortium of Thai lenders (Krung Thai Bank as Intercreditor Agent) in relation to new financing to be granted to the Lao power company Xayaburi Power Company in relation to the development and operations of the 1,285 MW Xayaburi hydropower project in the Lao PDR for the purpose of funding certain additional compensation and implementing restructured payment terms in respect of the financial benefits payable by the project company to the Government of the Lao PDR.
  • Assisting a consortium of Thai lenders (Krung Thai Bank as Intercreditor Agent) in assessing satisfaction of Lao law conditions to the resumption of the drawdowns of the facilities granted to Xe Pian Xe Namnoy Power Limited Company for the purpose of the financing of the development of the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project in Champasak province, Lao PDR, further to the collapse of the Saddle Dam D in July 2018.
  • Acted as Vietnamese legal counsel to B.Grimm PLC (the sponsor) and Phu Yen TTP Joint Stock Company (the borrower) in relation to the take out financing of a solar power plant project with an aggregate installed generating capacity of up to 257 MWp (214 MWac) Phu Hoa District, Phu Yen Province, Vietnam, owned and operated by the borrower (the “Project”), sourced from a syndicate of international lenders led by Asian Development Bank (“ADB”).

Thailand > Tax Tier 2

The tax practice at DFDL Legal & Tax is well-versed in advising clients on tax structuring, restructuring, planning and management. The team is also equipped to assist with the tax implications of M&A transactions and perform tax due diligence on other corporate transactions. Clients span across a range of industries, including aviation, hospitality, technology, automobiles and telecommunications. Head of the practice Jack Sheehan specialises in inbound and outbound investments in Asia, tax planning, transfer pricing and tax controversy. Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan focuses her practice on the tax aspects of foreign direct investment, corporate transactions and financings. Jonathan Blaine remains a key name in the team.

Practice head(s):

Jack Sheehan

 

Key clients

International Corporation with Holdings in Thailand

Brazilian National and Family

Work highlights

  • Assisted an international corporation with holdings in Thailand with transaction planning for a regional corporate reorganisation to address structural inefficiencies.
  • Assisted high-net-worth individual and their family with international planning in anticipation of their impending migration.

Thailand > Banking and finance Tier 3

DFDL Legal & Tax’s capabilities encompass inbound and outbound investments and projects, alongside demonstrable strengths in regulatory and compliance issues. The practice is particularly active in financial technology, consumer goods and logistics, among various other areas. David Doran, Audray Souche, Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan, Kraisorn Rueangkul and Walanchathas Sanguanwong jointly lead the team. Souche has expertise in managing energy and infrastructure projects for clients, and Supha-Utchaichan is active in the corporate arena. Rueangkul’s strengths lie in foreign direct investment and public-private partnerships, among other issues, and Sanguanwong is routinely engaged in relation to structuring acquisition and finance deals and advising on negotiations.

Practice head(s):

David Doran; Audray Souche; Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan; Kraisorn Rueangkul; Walanchathas Sanguanwong

Key clients

A Consortium of Thai lenders (Krung Thai Bank as Intercreditor Agent)

B.Grimm Power Public Company Limited

Ray Power Supply Co., Ltd.

Work highlights

  • Assisting a consortium of Thai lenders (Krung Thai Bank as Intercreditor Agent) in relation to new financing to be granted to the Lao power company Xayaburi Power Company in relation to the development and operations of the 1,285 MW Xayaburi hydropower project in the Lao PDR for the purpose of funding certain additional compensation and implementing restructured payment terms in respect of the financial benefits payable by the project company to the Government of the Lao PDR.
  • Assisting a consortium of Thai lenders (Krung Thai Bank as Intercreditor Agent)the in assessing satisfaction of Lao law conditions to the resumption of the drawdowns of the facilities granted to Xe Pian Xe Namnoy Power Limited Company for the purpose of the financing of the development of the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project in Champasak province, Lao PDR, further to the collapse of the Saddle Dam D.
  • Acted as Vietnamese legal counsel to B.Grimm PLC (the sponsor) and Phu Yen TTP Joint Stock Company (the borrower) in relation to the take-out financing of a solar power plant project with an aggregate installed generating capacity of up to 257 MWp (214 MWac) Phu Hoa District, Phu Yen Province, Vietnam, owned and operated by the borrower (the “Project”), sourced from a syndicate of international lenders led by Asian Development Bank (“ADB”).

Thailand > Real estate and construction Tier 3

Thailand > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 3

Leading DFDL Legal & Tax's restructuring and insolvency practice is Audray Souche, Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan and Kraisorn Rueangkul. The team represents banks, financial institutions, hedge funds, debtors, creditors and other constituencies of distressed situations across the region, with demonstrable experience in the technology, aviation, hospitality and retail sectors. Key undertakings for the practice include insolvency planning, divestment of distressed businesses and enforcing securities.

Practice head(s):

Audray Souche; Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan; Kraisorn Rueangkul

Work highlights

  • Assisting Ekornes on international corporate rationalization project involving restructuring of operations and entities to streamline overall organization and optimize inter-company relationships.

Thailand > TMT Tier 3

Thailand > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

Capable of handling cross-border deals in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, DFDL Legal & Tax advises clients on inbound and outbound investments and projects, regulatory and compliance issues, combining their legal and tax expertise to do so. The team counts government organisations, start-ups and Thai and international corporations in its varied client roster. Leading the team is Audray Souche, with her particular experience in handling energy and infrastructure projects; her fellow practice heads include David Doran, Vinay Ahuja, Nipaporn Supha-UtchaichanKraisorn Rueangkul and Walanchathas Sanguanwong.

Practice head(s):

David Doran; Audray Souche; Vinay Ahuja; Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan; Kraisorn Rueangkul; Walanchathas Sanguanwong

Testimonials

‘Very good expertise in Thailand regulatory landscape related to operations, real estate, corporate structure.’

‘I was very satisfied with the great expertise, responsiveness, ability to adapt to a complex and sophisticated M&A cross-border transaction.’

Key clients

Ardian

Adrad Holdings

Pan Orient Energy

Work highlights

  • Advising Ardian, a leading private equity firm, in acquiring a majority of shares in GreenYellow, a leading French player within the energy sector in a EUR 1.4bn deal.

Myanmar > Projects

The firm: DFDL established a permanent presence in Bangkok in November 2005 to better service its growing client base in Thailand, especially related to Thai-based financial institutions and businesses investing in the region. Since then, DFDL has expanded and established distinct real estate (with offices in Samui and Phuket), banking and finance, corporate and commercial, energy, mining and infrastructure, tax, labor law, commercial litigation and arbitration practice groups.

Areas of practice: Our Thailand team works closely with our other offices across Asia to provide seamless and efficient international standard legal and taxation services, with an in-depth, personal knowledge of the local environment.

Our legal advisers have advised on and are well versed in a wide range of legal areas, from the feasibility phase through to the investment and operational phases.

To better serve our clients, DFDL has dedicated regional practice groups to focus the expertise from across the region with lawyers in all offices to provide unique value propositions in each location.

Department Name Email Telephone
Aviation, Compliance & Investigations, Employment & Labour Kraisorn Rueangkul kraisorn@dfdl.com
Banking, Finance & Technology Vinay Ahuja vinay.ahuja@dfdl.com
Corporate & Commercial, Mergers & Acquisitions Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan nipaporn@dfdl.com
Energy, Mining & Infrastructure Audray Souche audray.souche@dfdl.com
Real Estate & Construction Paul D. Volodarsky paul.volodarsky@dfdl.com
Restructuring & Insolvency Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan nipaporn@dfdl.com
Taxation & Accounting Jack Sheehan jack.sheehan@dfdl.com
Dispute Resolution Guillaume Massin guillaume.massin@dfdl.com
Photo Name Position Profile
Vinay Ahuja photo Vinay Ahuja Partner, Managing Director, Indonesia & Singapore | Head of Regional Banking and…
David Doran photo David Doran Founding Partner
Guillaume Massin photo Guillaume Massin Partner, Head of EU Desk
Kraisorn Rueangkul photo Kraisorn Rueangkul Partner, Thailand
Walanchathas Sanguanwong photo Walanchathas Sanguanwong Partner
Jack Sheehan photo Jack Sheehan Partner & Head of the Regional Tax Practice
Audray Souche photo Audray Souche Managing Partner
Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan photo Nipaporn Supha-Utchaichan Partner & & Thailand Deputy Managing Director
Paul Volodarsky photo Paul Volodarsky Partner, Head of Regional Real Estate and Hospitality Practice
Partner : 10
Advisor : 21
English (fluent)
Thai
Hindi
French
European Chamber of Commerce
French Chamber of Commerce
Official Website : https://www.dfdl.com/locations/thailand/