About the Firm
A Measured Practice
for Maritime Matters
Sayam Group was established to provide considered legal advisory to those with interests in vessels, cargo, and maritime commerce operating in and around Thailand.
Our Story
Founded on the Andaman Coast
Sayam Group came together in Phuket because the legal needs of those operating in the Andaman region were not well served by firms based entirely in Bangkok or abroad. The maritime trade flowing through the western Gulf and Andaman Sea — recreational, commercial, and industrial — involves a distinct combination of Thai regulatory requirements and international charterparty practice that benefits from a practice close to where the vessels and cargo actually move.
The firm's work spans charterparty and bill of lading disputes, vessel registration and mortgage matters under the Thai Vessel Act, and initial casualty inquiries following incidents at sea. In each area, the working method is similar: understand the practical situation clearly before legal positions are formed, and give clients a realistic picture of where they stand before any significant resource commitment is made.
Many matters we are asked to advise on have an international dimension — parties in multiple jurisdictions, charterparties subject to English law, arbitrations seated in London or Singapore. We coordinate with counsel in those seats rather than operating as if Thailand were an island unto itself in maritime legal practice.
Our Mission
What We Are Here to Do
The aim is straightforward: to give shipowners, charterers, cargo interests, and financing parties access to competent maritime legal advice that is calibrated to their actual situation rather than structured around generating prolonged engagements. When a matter can be resolved efficiently, we say so. When it is likely to require sustained effort, we explain what that means in practical terms before the work begins.
Practical First
We assess what can realistically be achieved before formal positions are taken. This saves time and expense for all parties.
Transparent About Scope
We are clear about what a given engagement covers and what it does not — so clients can plan accordingly.
Regional and International
Thai law and practice is our base; international maritime convention and arbitration is the context in which much of our work sits.
The People
Advisory Team
Khun Kittiphat Tanomsakul
Senior Maritime Counsel
Advises on charterparty disputes and bill of lading matters, with experience coordinating Thai party representation in London and Singapore arbitrations over more than a decade.
Natthida Wongprasert
Vessel Registration & Finance Adviser
Handles vessel registration filings, mortgage documentation, and Marine Department coordination for commercial operators and private yacht owners in Phuket and Krabi.
Pichaya Arpornrat
Casualty & Regulatory Associate
Focuses on the early stages of maritime incidents — gathering the documentation that matters, engaging with port state and flag state authorities, and advising on the protective steps available before liability is later examined.
Standards
How We Work
Thai Bar Association Membership
All legal advisory work is conducted by or under the supervision of advocates licensed by the Thai Bar Association, in compliance with Thai professional conduct standards.
Confidentiality
All matters are handled with full professional confidentiality. Documentation and correspondence are stored securely and are not shared outside the engagement without instruction.
Document Integrity
Registration filings and mortgage documentation are prepared with care for the Marine Department's requirements. We do not rely on templates that have not been reviewed against current regulatory practice.
Timely Communication
Clients receive a response to all enquiries within one working day. For casualty matters, we make ourselves available on short notice for an initial conversation about the situation.
International Coordination
Where a matter requires external counsel — in London, Singapore, or another seat — we coordinate rather than operate in parallel, avoiding duplication and ensuring consistent advice.
Scope Transparency
Each engagement begins with a clear description of what the initial fee covers. Any expansion of scope is agreed separately before additional work begins.
Maritime Legal Practice in Thailand
The Context in Which We Work
Thailand's maritime legal framework draws on both domestic statute — principally the Thai Vessel Act, the Merchant Marine Promotion Act, and the Navigation in the Thai Waters Act — and the body of international convention to which Thailand is party. In practice, many commercial disputes involving Thai-registered or Thai-based parties are governed by English law charterparties and proceed in London or Singapore arbitration, which requires familiarity with both the domestic and international dimensions of a matter.
The Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand form two distinct maritime environments with different commercial profiles. The Andaman coast — Phuket, Krabi, Ranong — sees a concentration of recreational and superyacht traffic alongside smaller commercial operations. The Gulf coast involves more substantial cargo and tanker movements. Both regions present their own regulatory considerations at port state level.
Charterparty disputes involving Thai parties often arise from demurrage calculations, off-hire claims, and cargo condition disputes. The analysis turns on the specific language of the charterparty, the bill of lading terms, and the factual record assembled at the time of the dispute — which is why early documentation is important in any casualty or dispute situation.
Vessel registration in Thailand involves the Marine Department and is structured differently depending on whether the vessel is commercially operated or privately owned, Thai-flagged or foreign-flagged. Mortgage documentation must satisfy both the statutory requirements and the practical expectations of any financing institution involved. Getting those details right at the outset avoids complications on discharge or transfer.
Sayam Group's location in Phuket means we are able to engage promptly with matters arising in the Andaman region, and our working relationships with Maritime Department offices in the area allow us to navigate the administrative dimensions of registration and casualty reporting more efficiently than advisers operating at a distance.
Ready to discuss your matter?
We are glad to have an initial conversation about your situation before any engagement is agreed. There is no obligation in reaching out.
Get in Touch