Client Experiences
What Clients Say
About Working With Us
Feedback from shipowners, charterers, vessel operators, and cargo interests who have instructed Sayam Group for maritime legal matters in Thailand.
Client Feedback
From Those We Have Advised
William Burnett
Yacht owner · Phuket
"I used Sayam Group to handle the registration of my vessel under Thai flag and to set up the mortgage documentation for my financier. The process was straightforward and they dealt with the Marine Department entirely — I only needed to sign in two places. The fee was exactly what was quoted."
March 2025
Sunisa Mongkol
Fleet manager · Surat Thani
"We had a grounding incident in the Andaman near Phang-nga. I contacted Sayam Group the next morning and they were on a call with me within a few hours, walking through what documentation we needed to preserve and which authorities we were likely to hear from. The initial inquiry was worth far more than the fee — it helped us stay calm and organised at a difficult moment."
April 2025
Henrik Rasmussen
Cargo owner · Copenhagen
"We had a cargo damage claim under a bill of lading for goods shipped through Bangkok. Sayam Group gave us a written assessment of the position within ten days — explaining the carrier's likely defences, the prospects of recovery, and what documentation we would need for arbitration. The assessment was clear and helped us decide how to proceed."
February 2025
Priya Wattanasin
Vessel owner · Krabi
"The advice on re-flagging was practical and covered the implications I would not have thought to ask about — the effect on my existing mortgage and how the Marine Department filing sequence needed to work. I have recommended Sayam Group to two other operators I know in the area."
March 2025
Thomas Larssen
Charterer · Oslo
"We were in a demurrage dispute with a shipowner over a voyage in the Gulf. The charterparty was GENCON-based with additional clauses that complicated the laytime calculation. Sayam Group coordinated with our London solicitors and provided the Thai law and factual input needed for the arbitration submissions. Communication was straightforward and they met every deadline."
January 2025
Amara Chaisuwan
Commercial operator · Phuket
"I appreciated that they told me at the outset what the initial fee covered and what it did not. After the charterparty assessment, they told me the dispute was unlikely to be worth arbitrating and explained why. That saved us from committing to a process with poor prospects. Not all legal advisers are that direct."
April 2025
Case Studies
How Engagements Have Worked in Practice
Charterparty Dispute · Gulf of Thailand
Demurrage Claim Under Time Charter
The Situation
A Thai-based shipowner received a demurrage claim from a charterer under a NYPE 93 time charter following a slow voyage that the charterer attributed to poor vessel performance. The owner disputed the off-hire calculation and the charterer's interpretation of the performance warranty clauses.
Our Approach
We reviewed the charterparty, the voyage records, and the correspondence between the parties. The analysis identified a calculation error in the charterer's speed and consumption figures. We prepared a written response for the owner and coordinated with Singapore counsel on the arbitration procedure under the charterparty's governing rules.
Outcome
The charterer's claim was reduced by 62% following the written response. A settlement was reached before arbitration commenced. Timeline from first instruction to settlement: approximately 11 weeks.
"The assessment was calm and methodical. They found the error in the charterer's figures quickly and set out the position clearly. We were in a better position than we initially thought." — Shipowner representative
Vessel Registration · Phuket Marina
Foreign-Owned Vessel, Thai Flag Registration
The Situation
A European sailing yacht owner wished to base his vessel permanently in Phuket and register it under Thai flag to simplify the annual cruising permit process. His financing bank required mortgage documentation to be completed simultaneously with the registration.
Our Approach
We advised on the ownership structure requirements for Thai registration, prepared the registration filings and mortgage documentation to the bank's form requirements, and coordinated the Marine Department filing sequence to ensure both steps completed simultaneously without the mortgage taking priority over the registration in an unintended order.
Outcome
Registration and mortgage completed within the Marine Department's standard processing period of 6 weeks. The bank confirmed the documentation was in order without any return requests. Owner subsequently used the same registration status to obtain his cruising permit without further complications.
"It was straightforward. They dealt with the Marine Department entirely and told me what to sign and when. The bank had no queries on the mortgage documents." — Vessel owner
Maritime Casualty · Andaman Sea
Minor Collision — Position Preserved Early
The Situation
A small commercial passenger vessel contacted us the morning after a minor collision with a fishing vessel near Phi Phi Island. The operator was uncertain about the reporting obligations, the extent of their insurance company's notification requirements, and whether port state authority involvement was expected.
Our Approach
We assessed the incident type and location, identified the relevant Thai Marine Department reporting obligations and the 48-hour notification window, advised on the documentation that should be collected from the crew before memories faded, and set out the protective steps available before any formal liability process began.
Outcome
The operator made their Marine Department notification within the required period and with a complete factual record. When a compensation claim was later made by the fishing vessel owner, the operator's position was well-documented. The initial inquiry cost ฿4,500 and took less than 24 hours to complete.
"I didn't know where to start. The report they gave me told me exactly what to do in what order. Having that structure at a difficult moment was genuinely helpful." — Vessel operator
Contact
Reach Us in Phuket
Phone
+66 76 528 6473Address
345 Kata Road, Karon, Mueang
Phuket 83100, Thailand
Office Hours
Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 18:00 ICT
Saturday: by appointment
Practice Summary
12+
Years in Thai maritime practice
180+
Vessel registration matters
4.8
Average client satisfaction (out of 5)
3
Arbitration seats regularly coordinated
Credentials
Professional Affiliations & Standards
Thai Bar Association
Licensed practitioners
Thai Marine Department
Registered vessel law practitioners
LMAA Correspondence
London arbitration coordination
SIAC Panel Familiarity
Singapore arbitration coordination
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