John Frangos

Practice Areas

• Compliance and Investigations

• Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Career

John Frangos is a partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution and litigation group. Based in Bangkok, he works with clients and the firm’s disputes team on complex cases across Southeast Asia. He is especially active in leading the firm’s aviation practice as well as its compliance and investigations practice.

On the basis of his expertise in the aviation industry, coupled with his exceptional client service, John is ranked as a leading aviation and transport practitioner by Chambers Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and Asialaw Profiles. Clients have described him as “absolutely one of the best aviation lawyers in Thailand,” and as “super responsive, incredibly knowledgeable, and really focused on getting the best outcome as quickly as possible” (Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021).

With many years’ experience in Thailand and Vietnam, John brings strong knowledge of local business practices and customs. He also has a deep understanding of the region’s political and economic landscapes, which shape the legal environment that businesses must navigate.

John serves as the Thailand chapter head for the New York State Bar Association and a committee leader for the Aerospace Council of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. He was previously a commissioner on the Anti-Corruption Commission for the Thailand chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce. In that capacity, he assisted the Thai government by providing his expertise and comments on its anticorruption laws. John has also worked with the Vietnamese government to propose amendments to regulations on aircraft registration and repossession.

John is admitted to the New York bar.

Languages Spoken

• English

Experience

• Advised a global aircraft leasing company on the successful repossession of a Boeing 737 passenger jet from a Thai airline before the Intellectual Property & International Trade Court in Bangkok and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.

Advised an American beverage company on an internal anti-corruption investigation in Thailand.

• Advised a global energy services firm on defending an anti-corruption investigation by the Thai government.

• Advised an international e-commerce firm on handling multiple Thai criminal investigations related to alleged regulatory violations.

• Advised an aircraft manufacturer on a joint venture dispute in Thailand.

• Assisted a global aircraft leasing company on resolving a lease default dispute with a Thai airline.

• Advised an Asian regional airline on a complex breach of contract claim against its Thai business partner.

• Counseled a global aircraft leasing company on the successful repossession of a Boeing 767 passenger jet from a Thai airline before the Intellectual Property & International Trade Court in Bangkok and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.

• Advised a global oil and gas consulting firm on an internal anti-corruption investigation related to attempted bid tampering.

• Advised a U.S. educational organization on criminal matters related to fraudulent standardized test taking in Thailand.

• Assisted a multinational vehicle manufacturer on designing and implementing an anti-corruption compliance program in Thailand.

• Advised an American precious metals company on all aspects of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), as well as Thai and Vietnamese anti-corruption compliance in its joint venture transactions and general business dealings in Thailand and Vietnam.

• Advised an international consulting firm on designing and implementing a corporate compliance program across its Southeast Asia operations.

• Designed and implemented a special intensive anti-corruption training program for the board of directors of a large Thai company.

• Advised a major American software company on defending numerous employment termination cases in Thailand resulting from a global merger.

• Represented multiple aircraft and engine leasing companies on significant damage claims against Thai airlines.

• Advised a global automobile manufacturer on a significant customs dispute in Thailand.

• Advised one of the world’s largest oil field service companies on a full range of labor and employment issues under Thai law.

• Advised a major international food and beverage company on its internal investigation of an employee’s misappropriation of company assets in Thailand.

• Advised several global auto makers and auto-parts suppliers on product liability claims in Thailand.

Education

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Thailand