Our Company
A practice built around the person, not just the file.
Bodhi Counsel was formed to give individuals direct access to clear, considered legal guidance on pension matters — without the distance that often separates people from the counsel they need.
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How Bodhi Counsel came to be
Bodhi Counsel was founded in Bangkok in 2011 by a small group of lawyers who had spent years working within larger commercial firms. The concern that shaped the practice was simple: pension disputes were being set aside or lost not for lack of merit, but because the people affected did not have access to the kind of steady, patient legal work the matters required.
The name Bodhi refers to the quality of clear understanding — appropriate for work that is largely about reading documentation carefully and explaining what it actually means. We chose to focus on three well-defined service areas so that the team could develop genuine depth rather than spread thin across the breadth of civil law.
Today, the practice handles pension eligibility reviews, adjustment support with funds and the Social Security Office, and full representation in formal disputes and appeals. All work is handled in English and Thai.
Our Mission
What we are here to do
We are here to make the legal side of pension matters manageable — not intimidating. Many clients arrive having spent months trying to understand correspondence from funds or official bodies, unsure whether something is wrong or simply how the system works. Our job is to read through that material with them, explain it plainly, and then do whatever legal work is needed.
Clarity before action — we explain before we proceed, so you understand every step.
Measured pace — decisions about your financial future deserve careful thought, not rushed choices.
Written records — everything we find and recommend goes into writing, forming a clear record for you.
Focus on outcome — we aim for the result that serves your actual interests, not a theoretical win.
The Team
The people behind the work
Somchai Kritkasem
Founding Principal
Called to the Thai Bar in 1998, Somchai spent twelve years in civil litigation before founding Bodhi Counsel. He leads all formal dispute representation and manages client relationships from first meeting through to resolution.
Nattaya Wongchai
Senior Legal Advisor
Nattaya joined the practice in 2014 following six years with the Social Security Office. Her familiarity with fund procedures and administrative processes is central to our adjustment support and eligibility review work.
Priya Lertpong
Client Relations & Documentation
Priya manages client communications, document preparation, and the written summaries that form part of every review service. She ensures that all correspondence from the practice is clear, timely, and accurate.
Professional Standards
How we hold ourselves to account
Thai Bar Association membership
All legal staff hold valid Thai Bar registration. Practice is conducted in line with the professional rules and ethics of the Lawyers Council of Thailand.
Client confidentiality
All pension records and personal documents are handled under strict confidentiality obligations. Client information is never shared outside of the matter without explicit agreement.
Written engagement terms
Every instruction is recorded in a written engagement letter setting out the scope of work, fee arrangement, and expected timeline before work begins.
Documented findings
Each pension review produces a written summary of findings. Clients receive a copy of all documents and correspondence generated during their matter.
Regular client communication
Clients are kept informed at each significant stage. We do not allow matters to progress for extended periods without a status update, however brief.
Personal Data Protection Act compliance
Data handling across the practice complies with Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 and relevant data subject rights.
About Our Practice
Pension legal work in Thailand requires specific knowledge
Thailand's pension and social security framework involves multiple bodies — the Social Security Office, provident fund committees, government pension funds for civil servants, and the courts or appeals panels that handle formal disputes. Each has its own procedures, timelines, and documentation requirements. Knowing which route applies to a given situation, and how to move through it effectively, is something that develops over years of direct experience with these institutions.
Bodhi Counsel has worked with clients across a range of pension situations since 2011 — from straightforward eligibility questions that needed a clear explanation, to multi-year disputes involving formal appeal proceedings. Our approach is the same across those cases: read the documents carefully, understand the client's position, and take the appropriate steps steadily and without unnecessary delay. We do not take on matters we are not equipped to handle well.
Start a Conversation
We would be glad to discuss your situation
Whether you have a specific question or are simply unsure where your pension stands, a first conversation costs nothing and carries no obligation.
Get in Touch