History of the Arbitration Office
The Thai General Insurance Association recognized the importance and benefits of resolving civil disputes among member non-life insurance companies through arbitration, which greatly helps reduce the number of cases going to court, saves costs for non-life insurance companies, and allows disputes between parties to be settled quickly and fairly — preserving the image of the insurance business in the eyes of the public. As a result, policyholders receive fair and prompt compensation. Therefore, in 1994 (B.E. 2537), Mr. Prasan Nilamanat, President of the Thai General Insurance Association, assigned Mr. Sarawut Phasuwanichpong — then Vice President of the Association and Chairman of the Motor Insurance Subcommittee — and Mr. Anon Wangwasu (President of the Lawyers’ Club) to prepare for the establishment of the Arbitration Office. The Association received strong support from the Office of Arbitration, Ministry of Justice, which provided technical guidance and information on the rules and legal provisions relating to arbitration, both domestic and international.
The establishment of the Arbitration Office of the Thai General Insurance Association received strong support from the Department of Insurance and the Minister of Commerce at the time. Mr. Uthai Pimchaichon, Minister of Commerce, honored the occasion by presiding over the signing ceremony for the Arbitration Dispute Settlement Agreement at the Lertwanalai Room, Hilton Hotel, Bangkok, on 29 September 1994 (B.E. 2537). A total of 60 member companies signed the agreement. This Arbitration Dispute Settlement Agreement has been binding on the signatory companies since 1 December 1994 (B.E. 2537) and remains in effect to this day.
In recruiting arbitrators to serve the Association, it received substantial assistance from the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice (Mr. Thian Charoenwattana), who recommended and contacted individuals to serve as arbitrators from among retired members of the judiciary — all highly qualified and experienced in adjudicating court cases over many years. In addition, qualified individuals from the insurance business and insurance experts were also invited and registered as arbitrators. When the Arbitration Office was first established, 5 arbitrators were invited, registered, and accepted the invitation: 3 retired members of the judiciary — Mr. Somboon Boonpinan, former Deputy President of the Supreme Court; Mr. Prateep Chumwatana, former Chief Judge of the Thonburi Criminal Court; and Mr. Sakol Muanphawong, former Presiding Judge of a Supreme Court division — and 2 officials from the Department of Insurance: Ms. Photjanee Thanawaranich, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Insurance, and Mr. Ong-art Laopanich, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Insurance.
Currently, the Arbitration Office of the Thai General Insurance Association has 4 arbitrators, namely:
1. Mr. Chumphon Na Songkhla, Arbitrator (former Supreme Court Justice and Constitutional Court Judge)
2. Mr. Pichit Khamfaeng, Arbitrator (former Deputy President of the Supreme Court)
3. Mr. Thanasit Nilkamhaeng, Arbitrator (former Deputy President of the Supreme Court)
4. Mr. Thanaroek Nitisareni, Arbitrator (former President of the Court of Appeal)
The Arbitration Office is headed by a Secretary-General, the office’s highest-ranking administrator, responsible for overseeing its smooth administration. The first Secretary-General was Mr. Nipon Suwaboonprapat; the second was Mr. Supachai Ditvibul; the third was Mr. Apisit Meechoke; and currently, Ms. Kanlaya Jukhom, Deputy Executive Director, serves as Acting Secretary-General of the Arbitration Office.
