Law firm weighs in on corruption fight
Thailand's largest independent law firm, Tilleke & Gibbins, has become the first legal group to join Thailand's Collective Action Coalition Against Corruption (CAC).
Darani Vachanavuttivong, co-managing partner and managing director of the firm’s intellectual property group, signed the commitment at a ceremony marking National Anti-Corruption Day yesterday.
The ceremony, organised by the Anti-Corruption Network, was held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
Presentations on anti-corruption issues were led by speakers including Pramon Sutivong of the Anti-Corruption Network, Somkid Lertpaitoon of the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), and Mechai Viravaidya of the Mechai Viravaidya Foundation.
Tilleke & Gibbins said that by signing up to the CAC, it has reinforced its ongoing efforts to tackle the problem of corruption in Thailand. Signatories to the CAC commit to prohibiting bribery in any form, putting in place internal compliance programmes to educate employees and monitor business conduct, and sharing best practices with industry peers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
"Corruption continues to inhibit foreign investment and limit Thailand’s economic growth," Vachanavuttivong said. "We recogniSe the importance of taking a leadership role in supporting the rule of law and opposing corruption – a battle our firm has been fighting for decades. We’re therefore proud to support the CAC in its efforts."
Other signatories to the CAC include some of Thailand’s largest publicly listed companies and prominent foreign investors, including Airports of Thailand, Bangchak Petroleum, Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Banpu, Bumrungrad Hospital, Central Pattana, Kasikorn Bank, Mercedes Benz, Nation Multimedia Group, PTT Exploration and Production, PTT Global Chemical, Pfizer, Siam Cement, Siam Commercial Bank, Siemens, Toshiba, Thai Airways, and Total Access Communication.
The CAC is the latest of a number of important anti-corruption initiatives supported by Tilleke & Gibbins. The firm is an active member of the World Economic Forum’s Partnering Against Corruption Initiative and the International Chamber of Commerce’s FraudNet.
Tilleke & Gibbins also serves as the exclusive TRACE Partner Law Firm in Thailand. TRACE International, a non-profit association that provides practical and cost-effective anti-bribery compliance solutions for multinational companies, granted this designation to the firm in recognition of its "exceptional experience in and knowledge of anti-bribery laws and related compliance matters".
