Law firms in Thailand with offices on the main road where the military and protestors are currently facing a stand off are continuing to operate as usual, despite fears the street could become a battleground between angry protestors and armed troops.
Red shirt protestors opposed to the government yesterday pushed into the “Wall Street” of Thailand, on Silom Road, where many of the country’s top international and domestic law firms are located. One of those is Blumenthal Richter & Sumet, an international law firm whose office is located in the intersection between Silom and Rama IV roads.
“I can see [the protest] outside my window actually, in the intersection where the Dusit Thani Hotel is. You can hear the protestors’ loudspeakers from here,” said partner Ira Blumenthal. “Right below our office, there are troops blocking off Silom road, and on the other side you have the protestors. So there’s a kind of standoff happening and nobody’s really doing anything.”
Bluthemthal said that staff members have been able to get to work as usual. “There has been no disruption in work. There is a little confusion whether the office is going to be closed from day to day, but here you learn to work with a little uncertainty.”
Herbert Smith’s Bangkok office is situated in the same building as Blumenthal’s. Office managing partner Alistair Henderson said that it’s also business as usual for the firm. “Looking out my window, one road has been blocked by protestors and there are a lot of tents being raised, and a lot of flag waving by red shirts,” he said. “If I walk outside, I will run into a red shirt protestor.”
The protestors, having pushed past the tourist district, are aiming to increase pressure on the government by taking over the street where many of the country’s top businesses are located.
The law firms have kept their doors open while nearby offices and one hotel have reportedly shut down temporarily. Although neither of the firms quoted above has received official advisories from authorities, that may change if the protest turns violent.
“If the protestors try to take Silom road, I definitely think there will be some activity, but currently the protestors are not making a push and everyone is just holding ground,” said Blumenthal.
“If things were to move from general unrest to violence, that’s definitely bound to affect businesses,” said Henderson.
The political unrest, which has raged on for more than year now, has affected the flow of inbound foreign direct investment work for local law firms. Some clients have cancelled business trips indefinitely, as embassies have issued travel warnings. “There is uncertainly as to what’s going to happen next,” said Blumenthal. “We’ve had a lot of clients rescheduling cancelled meetings until things are clarified.”
There is hope that will soon change. Henderson said that although the pace of work has slowed, the firm continues to receive significant instructions from regional clients wanting to do business in Thailand.
“Work hasn’t disappeared – there is definitely work to be done. We’re receiving instructions and talking to clients looking to expand operations or set up here. Morale is holding up quite well,” he said.
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