About Lanna Lex
A Firm Shaped by the Particular Demands of Thai Employment Law
We work at the intersection of what Thai labor law requires and what employers and employees actually face — in writing, in conversation, and where necessary, before the Labor Court.
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How Lanna Lex Came to Practice
Lanna Lex was established in Chiang Mai with a straightforward aim: to make Thai labor law accessible to people who have to act on it — employers who need correct documentation from the outset, and employees who need to understand where they stand before a dispute has time to deepen.
The firm takes its name from the Lanna region of northern Thailand — an area with a distinct cultural and commercial character that continues to attract businesses and individuals from across the country and abroad. The combination of local industry, tourism, digital commerce, and foreign-managed enterprises creates a range of employment situations that standard urban law firms sometimes address only in general terms.
Our work draws on a careful reading of the Labor Protection Act B.E. 2541 and its subsequent amendments, the Social Security Act, the Personal Data Protection Act as it applies to HR records, and the Working of Aliens Act where relevant. We read these provisions closely, discuss their practical application in real employment situations, and prepare documents and advice accordingly.
The style here is measured. We do not hurry clients toward decisions. Where there is room to resolve a matter without proceeding to the Labor Department or Labor Court, we discuss that first. Where preparation for a formal proceeding is necessary, we undertake it thoroughly and without cutting corners.
Lanna Lex is based at 437 Nimmanhaemin Road — a location that places us within reach of Chiang Mai's main commercial and creative districts, while remaining easy to reach from the university area and the old city.
Our Mission
To prepare employment documents carefully, advise on labor law matters with precision and candor, and represent the interests of employers and employees with equal professional commitment — so that the people we work with can move forward with a clearer understanding of their rights and obligations under Thai law.
The People Behind the Work
Our Team
Khunying Parichat
Senior Labor Law Advisor
Advises on termination, severance, and Labor Court matters. More than twelve years practicing employment law in northern Thailand, including work on high-value restructuring disputes.
Somchai Rattanakorn
Employment Contract Specialist
Focused on contract drafting and policy documentation for SMEs and foreign-managed entities. Works with clients from the initial staff hire through to staff handbook compliance under the Labor Protection Act.
Naphatporn Charoen
PDPA & HR Compliance Advisor
Handles the intersection of labor law and personal data protection, with particular attention to the obligations the PDPA places on HR departments managing employee records, recruitment data, and payroll information.
How We Work
Professional Standards We Hold Ourselves To
These are not aspirational statements. They describe the way we approach each file, each client, and each piece of written advice.
Accuracy Over Speed
We do not rush work to meet a self-imposed target. Timelines are agreed at the outset and kept — but the work is not compromised to meet them.
Strict Confidentiality
All client matters are handled with full professional confidentiality. We do not discuss client situations with third parties and comply with applicable data protection requirements for legal files.
Impartiality Between Sides
We advise both employers and employees. Where we act for one party in a particular matter, we do not simultaneously advise the other party in the same dispute.
Written Advice as Standard
Verbal discussions are always followed by written confirmation of the position taken. This protects both client and adviser and creates a clear record for reference.
Current Legal Knowledge
Thai labor law is not static. We monitor gazette notifications, Labor Court decisions, and Labor Department circulars to keep our advice current with the latest applicable interpretation.
Clear Fee Arrangements
Fees for our three service areas are set at the outset and do not change without prior written agreement. We do not add charges for follow-up questions that fall within the scope of the original engagement.
Labor Law Counsel in the Chiang Mai Context
Northern Thailand's employment landscape differs from Bangkok in ways that matter practically. Chiang Mai has a significant concentration of hospitality businesses, craft and design enterprises, digital economy operators, and NGO-adjacent organizations — each of which encounters specific labor law questions that require careful handling. Seasonal and part-time work is common in the tourism sector; written contracts that address these arrangements are often absent.
Foreign-managed companies and individual foreign business owners face an additional layer of complexity through the Working of Aliens Act and the requirement to maintain correct ratios of Thai to foreign staff in certain business categories. The Labor Protection Act applies equally to these entities — there is no exemption for foreign ownership — but the interaction between corporate registration requirements and labor compliance is one that we address as a combined matter.
The Labor Department office in Chiang Mai handles employment disputes, workplace inspections, and complaints under the Labor Protection Act for the northern region. Where a matter requires engagement with that office, familiarity with local procedure and personnel is a practical advantage that a Chiang Mai-based firm can offer.
Lanna Lex advises clients across employment contract preparation, termination management, and internal policy compliance — three areas where clear documentation at an early stage consistently reduces the scale and cost of later disagreements. We provide this counsel in English and can arrange for Thai-language documentation where required by law or preferred by the client.
Ready to Discuss Your Employment Law Matter?
We are available for in-person meetings at our Nimmanhaemin office and by video call. Initial enquiries carry no obligation.
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