Our Story

Established to Serve Families at Their Most Difficult Moments

Garuda Law was founded in Bangkok with a straightforward purpose: to offer families dealing with inheritance matters a legal experience that does not add to their distress. Our founders had observed, through years of practice, how the standard pace and tone of legal proceedings often felt at odds with what grieving families actually needed.

So the practice was shaped differently from the outset. Each engagement is given genuine time. Explanations are made in plain language. Written summaries accompany each important step. And the same lawyer stays with the family throughout, so nothing gets lost in handoffs.

Based on Sathorn Road in the heart of Bangkok, we serve Thai families as well as expatriate households who hold assets or estate interests in Thailand. The firm handles matters ranging from a single exploratory consultation through to full representation in contested inheritance proceedings.

Our Mission

To Carry the Legal Weight So the Family Can Breathe

Estate administration involves a considerable volume of documentation, filings, and correspondence. When a family is also managing grief, that volume can feel completely overwhelming. Our mission is to carry it quietly and competently on their behalf.

We believe that good legal work for families in this situation is measured not only by the outcome achieved, but by how the family felt throughout the process: whether they understood what was happening, whether they were treated with respect, and whether the experience added unnecessary difficulty to an already hard time.

14+

Years in Practice

380+

Families Assisted

3

Service Engagements

The People Behind the Practice

A Small Team with Deep Expertise

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Somchai Rattanaporn

Principal & Founder

Called to the Thai Bar with over eighteen years of experience in family and estate law. Somchai founded Garuda Law after recognising that many families needed a slower, more considered legal service during times of bereavement.

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Nithiporn Wattana

Senior Associate

Specialist in contested succession matters and cross-border estate questions. Nithiporn's background spans both Thai civil law and international private law, making her the primary contact for matters involving foreign nationals or overseas assets.

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Pratheep Kositchai

Estate Administrator

Pratheep manages the documentation, court filings, and correspondence that form the backbone of estate administration work. His attention to detail and steady communication style means families always know where their matter stands.

Standards & Protocols

How We Work, and Why It Matters

The quality of an inheritance matter is often determined by the care taken in the details. These are the standards we hold ourselves to in every case.

Thai Bar Accreditation

All lawyers at Garuda Law hold current accreditation with the Lawyers Council of Thailand and maintain their continuing professional development requirements each year.

Strict Confidentiality

Client files are held securely and never discussed outside the engagement. Family matters are treated with the same discretion you would expect from a trusted advisor rather than a transactional service.

Written Summaries at Each Stage

After each significant consultation or filing, we provide a clear written record of what was done, what remains, and what the family should expect next. Nothing is left to verbal memory alone.

Compliance with Thai Civil & Commercial Code

All estate work is conducted in full accordance with the relevant provisions of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code and Land Code, with attention to any applicable international conventions.

Single Lawyer Continuity

Families are not passed between team members. The lawyer who takes the initial consultation remains the primary contact throughout, ensuring that the family's situation is fully understood at every stage.

Plain Language Communication

Legal documents can be dense. We translate them into plain English for every family member, regardless of their legal background, so that no important detail is hidden behind terminology.

Inheritance Legal Services in Bangkok

Thai inheritance law operates under a structured hierarchy of heirs as defined in the Civil and Commercial Code. When a person dies without a will — a surprisingly common situation — assets are distributed among statutory heirs in a specific order. When a will does exist, it must still meet formal requirements to be valid in Thailand, including being properly signed and witnessed. Garuda Law assists families in navigating both situations, from confirming the validity of a document to managing the administration of an intestate estate.

For expatriate families in Bangkok and across Thailand, the picture can be more complicated. Real property held in Thailand by foreign nationals may be subject to different rules, and the recognition of foreign wills or foreign probate orders is not automatic. Our team is experienced in identifying these complications early and addressing them in a methodical, unhurried way.

The Sathorn district, where our office is located, sits at the centre of Bangkok's professional and diplomatic community. Many of the families we work with are either long-term residents with mixed Thai and international assets, or Thai nationals whose estates have some international element. Understanding both contexts — the formal legal requirements and the human situation behind the file — is what Garuda Law is built to do.

An inheritance matter is not simply a legal transaction. It is often the last significant act of care that a family performs for someone who has passed. We regard that responsibility seriously, and we take it into account in every decision we make about how to approach a case.

Ready to Speak with Someone?

There is no obligation in reaching out. If you are facing an estate or inheritance matter — whether straightforward or complex — we are glad to have a quiet conversation and help you understand what lies ahead.

Get in Touch

A Practice Built for Families, Not Cases