About Sampatti Legal
Sampatti Legal was established in Bangkok with a particular interest in the practical questions that arise when a family begins to think about the long-term movement of property and assets. The name itself — sampatti, a word meaning possession or estate in several South and Southeast Asian legal traditions — reflects the firm's focus on the substance of inheritance work rather than its ceremonial aspects.
The firm's founders came to this area of law after years in general commercial practice, where they repeatedly found that clients dealing with family property matters needed something the broader legal market was slow to offer: time, patience, and a written record they could take home and read quietly. Sampatti Legal was established to fill that gap — not as a transactional office, but as a considered practice that moves at the speed the subject demands.
Today the firm works with families across Thailand, including both Thai nationals and foreign nationals whose property holdings bring them within the scope of Thai succession law. Work is conducted in English and Thai, and written reports are produced in whichever language the client and their family will find most useful.
The practice is deliberately modest in size. A smaller number of active matters means that each file receives the attention it deserves, and that communication with clients does not pass through multiple layers of administration before it reaches a qualified person. Clients are given direct contact details for the person responsible for their matter.
Our Values
The principles that shape how we work with every family that comes to us.
Patience as practice
Inheritance matters rarely need to be completed quickly. We do not create urgency where none exists, and we make space for clients to consider their arrangements carefully before any document is finalised.
The written word as commitment
Every piece of work we produce is recorded in writing and given to the client to keep. We believe that a family should be able to revisit the advice they have received without relying on their memory of a conversation.
Discretion in all matters
Family financial arrangements are not discussed outside the firm, and client records are maintained with strict access controls. We take confidentiality as seriously as any other aspect of professional conduct.
Respect for each family's circumstances
No two families hold their assets in quite the same way. We approach each matter without assumptions and prepare documents that reflect the actual situation rather than a standard template.
Stated fees, no surprises
We provide a clear fee for each service before work begins. If the scope of a matter changes, we discuss this with the client before any additional cost is incurred.
Understanding of Thai law in context
The Thai Civil and Commercial Code has particular provisions that apply to succession, and these interact in complex ways with property held by foreign nationals. We explain these in plain language so that clients can make well-informed decisions.
The Team
A small group of experienced practitioners who take direct responsibility for client matters.
Khun Preecha Wattanaporn
SENIOR COUNSEL — SUCCESSION LAW
Practising in Thai succession and property law for over eighteen years, with particular experience in multi-asset estate matters involving both Thai and foreign national clients.
Sunisa Apirak
LEGAL ADVISOR — ASSET DOCUMENTATION
Specialising in the preparation of asset inventories and property succession reviews, with a background in notarial practice and document preparation for family estates.
Thomas Chandler
CLIENT LIAISON — FOREIGN NATIONALS
Working primarily with English-speaking clients navigating Thai succession law, Thomas coordinates the communication between clients, families, and the legal team throughout each matter.
Professional Standards
The frameworks and obligations that govern our work and protect our clients.
Thai Bar Association Registration
All legal practitioners at Sampatti Legal are registered members of the Lawyers Council of Thailand and practise within the boundaries set by Thai professional regulation.
Client Confidentiality Protocol
All client information is held under professional confidence. Files are stored with restricted access, and no client matter is discussed with external parties without written consent.
Engagement Letter for Every Matter
Before any work begins, the scope, fee, and expected timeline are set out in a written engagement letter that the client countersigns. There are no verbal commitments without a written record.
Continuing Professional Development
Team members participate in ongoing training in Thai succession law, property registration procedures, and cross-border estate matters, ensuring that advice reflects the current legal position.
Data Protection Practices
Personal data collected during the course of a matter is handled in accordance with Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and is not shared with third parties beyond what the work requires.
Document Review Process
All reports and inventories are reviewed by a senior practitioner before being released to the client, ensuring accuracy and consistency across every piece of written work we produce.
Inheritance law practice in Bangkok
Thailand's succession framework is governed by Books V and VI of the Civil and Commercial Code, which establish the order of statutory heirs, the formation and revocation of wills, and the duties of estate administrators appointed by the court. For families with property spread across different categories — land, condominiums, bank accounts, business interests, and personal collections — the process of moving each asset through the correct legal channel takes time and careful documentation.
Foreign nationals in Thailand face an additional layer of consideration. Under current Thai law, foreign individuals are generally not permitted to hold freehold title to land, though condominium units and certain other assets may be held in their name. The way in which these assets are structured during a person's lifetime has a direct bearing on how they may be transferred on death, and families benefit from understanding this picture clearly while there is still time to consider it.
Sampatti Legal's approach to this work is documentary rather than transactional. We do not push clients towards any particular arrangement. Instead, we begin by producing a clear written picture of what a family currently holds and how it is presently constituted under Thai law, and we work outward from that document as and when the family is ready to take further steps.
Our office is located in the Lumphini district of Bangkok, within the Pathumwan area — a working district that is well served by public transport and convenient for clients travelling from across the Bangkok metropolitan area and from Phuket, Chiang Mai, and other parts of Thailand for scheduled appointments.
Speak with us about your family's situation
An initial conversation carries no commitment. We are happy to answer questions about how our services work before any engagement is agreed.
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