Thailand law firm Kudun and Partners has appointed Nopparat Lalitkomon as a partner and head of its technology, data and innovation practice in Bangkok, alongside the launch of a new antitrust and trade competition team to be led by specialist Piyapat Tubin.
Lalitkomon joins from Tilleke & Gibbins, where he spent more than four years in the firm’s Bangkok office and most recently served as a partner. He brings with him a team of two lawyers, including senior associate Gvavalin Mahakunkitchareon and associate Sirirat Rinsiri.
Lalitkomon specialises in technology, data privacy, cybersecurity and digital business regulation, and regularly advises on foreign direct investment, corporate structuring, M&A and joint ventures.
Tubin previously held senior roles at Thailand’s Office of Trade Competition Commission, where she led major investigations involving cartel conduct, abuse of dominance, merger control, unfair trade practices and digital platform regulation. She also brings experience in competition risk, merger control, regulatory investigations and compliance matters.
She will work alongside founding partner Kudun Sukhumananda and partner Kom Vachiravarakarn to lead and develop the antitrust and trade competition practice.
“The appointments of Nopparat Lalitkomon and Piyapat Tubin reflect Kudun and Partners’ continued commitment to investing in strategic practice areas that are increasingly important to our clients, while further building a full-service platform with market-leading capabilities in high-growth, regulation-intensive sectors,” Sukhumananda told Asia Business Law Journal.
Sukhumananda said Lalitkomon’s arrival came amid a surge in demand for legal advice on technology, data privacy, cybersecurity, AI and digital platform transactions.
The establishment of the antitrust and trade competition practice also aligns with rising demand for competition law advice, driven by regulatory developments and more active enforcement.
“The timing reflects both market developments and a deliberate strategic decision. In recent years, the Trade Competition Commission of Thailand has adopted a more active enforcement approach, particularly in merger control and digital markets. New regulatory guidance, increased enforcement activity and the continued evolution of Thailand’s competition law framework have made competition law an increasingly important consideration in corporate transactions, business strategy, and regulatory risk management,” Sukhumananda said.
“At Kudun and Partners, we recognised that our clients increasingly require specialist competition law advice as part of a broader, integrated legal offering. As competition law becomes more closely intertwined with M&A, foreign investment, digital markets, and regulatory compliance, we saw a clear opportunity to establish a dedicated practice capable of supporting clients throughout the entire business lifecycle.”
