About Metta Law
Practising law with patience and compassion
We founded Metta Law on a simple belief: families facing legal decisions deserve a place where they feel heard, respected, and supported — not pressured.
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How Metta Law began
Metta Law was founded in 2011 by a small group of family law practitioners who had, over years of work in larger firms, noticed a consistent gap: families coming to lawyers in moments of great vulnerability often left feeling more confused and overwhelmed than when they arrived.
We set out to build something different — a practice designed around the pace and needs of the family, not the pace of the legal system. The name Metta comes from the Pali word for loving-kindness, a quality we return to whenever we consider how a matter should be handled.
Over the years, we have worked with families of many backgrounds — Thai nationals, expatriates, and international couples — navigating matters ranging from straightforward consultations to complex multi-jurisdictional proceedings. Throughout, the founding intention has remained unchanged.
Today, our team operates from our office on Asok Montri Road in Bangkok, taking on a considered number of cases at any one time so that each family receives the attention their situation deserves.
Our mission
To provide family legal support that puts human wellbeing before process — listening carefully, advising honestly, and acting with the family's long-term interests at the centre of every decision.
Our values
- Patience — we do not rush families toward decisions
- Discretion — every matter is handled in confidence
- Clarity — complex processes explained in plain language
- Honesty — realistic assessments, not reassuring approximations
"The quality of a legal practice is not measured only in its outcomes, but in how the people it serves feel throughout the process."
— Founding principle, Metta Law
The people behind the practice
Our team
Araya Phongsakdi
Senior Partner, Family Law
Called to the Thai Bar in 2003, Araya has spent her career working with families at pivotal moments. She leads consultations and complex representation cases.
Nattawut Thianchai
Associate, Mediation & Agreements
Nattawut specialises in facilitating respectful family agreements. His calm, methodical approach helps families reach resolutions they can all live with.
Sirinapa Kulprasert
Associate, International Family Matters
Sirinapa brings expertise in cross-border family situations involving mixed nationalities and overseas assets, drawing on experience in Thai and international law.
How we work
Standards & protocols
Thai Bar Association membership
All legal practitioners at Metta Law hold current membership of the Lawyers Council of Thailand and comply with its professional conduct requirements.
Attorney-client privilege
All communications with our team are protected by legal professional privilege. Information you share is never disclosed without your explicit consent.
Secure document handling
All client documents and personal data are stored securely, with access restricted to the assigned legal team. Paper records are maintained in locked, access-controlled storage.
Clear conflict-of-interest checks
Before accepting any matter, we conduct thorough conflict-of-interest screening to ensure we can act fully in your interests without competing obligations.
Transparent fee agreements
Every matter begins with a written fee agreement outlining scope and costs. No work proceeds beyond its agreed scope without your prior knowledge and approval.
Continuing professional development
Our team undertakes regular CPD in family law, mediation practice, and cross-border legal developments to ensure their knowledge remains current and thorough.
Our expertise
Family legal support in Bangkok, handled with care
Family legal matters in Thailand involve navigating the Civil and Commercial Code, family court procedures, and — in many cases — international legal frameworks. These are not abstract processes. They affect where children live, how assets are divided, and what kind of relationship family members can maintain with one another after a difficult period.
At Metta Law, we work across the full range of family circumstances — from initial consultations where a family is simply trying to understand their position, through to formal representation in proceedings that require sustained legal management. The unifying thread in each case is that we approach it as though the family in front of us matters, not as a file to be processed.
Bangkok presents particular considerations for families with international elements. Expatriate couples, mixed-nationality families, and Thai nationals with overseas assets all face situations where the legal path forward is less straightforward than it might appear. Our team has experience handling these cross-border dimensions and works with professional counterparts in other jurisdictions where required.
We have found that families feel better supported when they understand what is happening and why. That is why every consultation includes a written summary, every fee agreement is clear before work begins, and every stage of formal proceedings is explained before it proceeds. This is not a policy — it is simply how we believe a practice should operate.
Take the first step
A conversation is always a good place to start
Whether you have a clear question or are still finding your footing, we are here to listen.
Arrange a Consultation