ABOUT KHRUA COUNSEL
A practice built around
families, not cases
We believe every family deserves guidance that is unhurried, clear, and genuinely caring — whatever the circumstances that have brought them to us.
Back to HomeOUR STORY
How Khrua Counsel came to be
Khrua Counsel was founded in Chiang Mai by practitioners who had spent years working within larger legal settings — and who felt something was consistently missing. Families coming in during some of the hardest periods of their lives were being processed through systems designed for efficiency rather than care.
The name reflects that founding intention. Khrua — meaning household or family unit in Thai — sits alongside counsel, the English word for careful, considered advice. That pairing is not accidental. It describes exactly what we set out to offer: the kind of guidance a trusted member of the family might give if they happened to know the law well.
We opened our doors on Wualai Road in the Haiya district — a part of Chiang Mai with a long tradition of skilled, careful craftwork. That felt right. The work we do is slow, deliberate, and made with attention.
OUR MISSION
What we are here to do
Our work is straightforward: help families in Thailand resolve personal legal matters with dignity. Whether a family is arranging financial agreements, working through parental responsibilities, or handling a formal separation — they should be able to do so with honest, informed support at their side.
We do not chase volume. We work with a considered number of clients so that each person receives the attention their situation requires. A consultation here is not a ten-minute slot. An agreement we draft is read, reconsidered, and refined until it is genuinely right.
We operate within Thai civil law with full respect for the local legal framework, and we bring that knowledge to every conversation — without overwhelming the people we serve with unnecessary complexity.
THE PEOPLE HERE
The practitioners behind Khrua Counsel
A small team, chosen carefully. Each person brings both professional depth and a genuine commitment to the families who come to us.
Araya Phanit
Principal Counsel
Fourteen years working in family and civil law across Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Araya founded the practice with the firm belief that legal support should centre the person, not the paperwork.
Kriangkrai Wattana
Senior Legal Advisor
Specialising in asset arrangements and family agreements, Kriangkrai brings a methodical, patient approach to matters that require careful drafting and thoughtful mediation.
Nattaya Jirawong
Client Support & Process Manager
Nattaya ensures each client knows what is happening at every stage. She coordinates the practice's day-to-day work and is often the first point of contact for families reaching out.
HOW WE WORK
Standards we hold ourselves to
Thai Bar Association Registration
All practitioners at Khrua Counsel are registered with and bound by the regulations of the Lawyers Council of Thailand.
Strict Confidentiality Protocol
Client information is never shared outside the practice without explicit agreement. We maintain a firm confidentiality protocol across all communications and records.
Written Summaries Standard
Every consultation concludes with a written summary. Clients should never leave a meeting uncertain about what was discussed or what comes next.
Thai Civil & Commercial Code
All advice and documents are grounded in the current Thai Civil and Commercial Code, reviewed regularly as legislation and court interpretations evolve.
Transparent Pricing
Fees are explained before work begins. For ongoing matters, cost updates are provided proactively. There are no unexpected charges at Khrua Counsel.
Child Welfare Focus
In matters involving children, their interests are treated as the primary consideration — not secondary to the concerns of either adult party.
OUR VALUES
What we believe about this work
Family law in Thailand touches some of the most personal dimensions of a person's life — property built together, children who depend on fair arrangements, relationships that have changed beyond repair. Handling such matters demands more than technical knowledge. It asks for a kind of professional steadiness that can hold complexity without adding to the distress families are already carrying.
At Khrua Counsel, we have structured everything about how we work around that understanding. We keep our caseload manageable because we believe proper attention cannot be divided indefinitely. We write things down because spoken reassurances are not enough when the stakes are high. We explain our fees upfront because trust is built on transparency, not on leaving things until later.
Chiang Mai is a city with a long tradition of craft and careful work. The silversmiths on Wualai Road, the woodworkers in the old city, the textile makers in the surrounding villages — they share an understanding that quality requires time and genuine investment. We carry that same ethic into our practice. Legal work done well is slow, considered, and attentive. We do not apologise for that.
We work in English and Thai, which allows us to support both Thai nationals and international residents navigating family matters within the Thai legal system. Wherever you come from, if you are dealing with a family matter in Chiang Mai, we are prepared to sit with you and work through it carefully.
READY TO TALK
Let us begin with a quiet conversation
If you have a family matter — large or small, clear or still uncertain — we are here. Reach us at any time using the details below, or use our contact form.
Get in Touch