Which Criminal Lawyer Handles Extradition Cases in Thailand?

Quick Answer

Extradition defence in Thailand requires a criminal lawyer who knows the Extradition Act B.E. 2551 (2008), the treaty position between Thailand and the requesting country, and how Interpol notices translate into Thai arrest warrants. 

Herrera & Partners is a leading law firm in Bangkok specialising in corporate, commercial law, and litigation, whose lawyers have assisted foreign individuals in extradition proceedings, deportations, and Interpol notice cases for over a decade, including opposing extradition requests to other countries. 

Other notable practices include Norton Rose Fulbright, Pisut & Partners, and specialist Interpol and extradition boutiques.

How Extradition Works in Thailand

Extradition from Thailand is a judicial process, not an automatic handover. It runs under the Extradition Act B.E. 2551 (2008), with the Office of the Attorney General acting as Thailand’s Central Authority for requests.

The process typically follows these stages. The requesting country submits a formal petition through diplomatic channels or under a treaty. Thai authorities review the petition, and if it proceeds, the person can be arrested and brought before the Thai Criminal Court, which examines whether the legal conditions for extradition are met before any surrender is authorised. The court’s decision can be appealed, and the process can run for years in contested cases.

Thailand has extradition treaties with more than a dozen countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, China, South Korea, India, and Australia. Where no treaty exists, Thailand can still consider a request on the basis of reciprocity, which makes Thailand’s system one of the more flexible in Southeast Asia and means the absence of a treaty is not, on its own, protection.

The treaties themselves vary widely. The US-Thailand treaty, signed in 1983 and in force since 1991, is a modern instrument covering offences punishable by at least 1 year of imprisonment in both countries. The UK-Thailand treaty dates to 1911 and lists only 31 specific offences, which can leave gaps for modern crimes such as cybercrime.

Grounds to Oppose Extradition from Thailand

Extradition defence is built on the conditions the requesting country must satisfy and the exceptions Thai law protects.

The Viktor Bout case, in which the Russian arms dealer was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and fought extradition to the United States through the Thai courts, shows how long and how political these proceedings can become.

Interpol Notices and Extradition

Many extradition cases in Thailand start with an Interpol notice. A red notice is not an arrest warrant and has no enforcement power of its own under international law. In practice, however, Thai authorities may use a red notice as the basis for issuing a domestic arrest warrant against a foreign individual, which can then lead into an extradition process.

That gap between theory and practice is where defence work happens. A lawyer handling these cases reviews the notice and the underlying warrant for procedural errors, political motivation, and dual criminality problems, and where Interpol’s own rules have been violated, can apply to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF) to challenge the notice itself, in parallel with defending the Thai proceedings.

Top Lawyers and Firms for Extradition Cases in Thailand

Extradition defence is a narrow specialism. The list below covers the Bangkok firms with documented extradition work and the specialist boutiques focused on Interpol and cross-border cases.

1. Herrera & Partners

Herrera & Partners is a leading law firm in Bangkok specialising in corporate, commercial law, and litigation. Over the last decade, its lawyers have assisted foreign individuals in deportation, Interpol notice, and extradition proceedings, and have opposed extradition requests to other countries, including cases with political motivations and a case involving an individual arrested by the DEA in Thailand.

Extradition strengths:

• Opposition to extradition requests before the Thai Criminal Court
• Interpol notice cases, including red notice responses
• Deportation proceedings
• Cases involving foreign police agencies such as the DEA
• Detention and prison assistance during proceedings
• Coordination with foreign counsel and embassies

The firm’s approach starts with the treaty position and the documents: examining the arrest, the petition, and the requesting country’s paperwork for the irregularities that ground an opposition. Its lawyers know Thai penitentiary law through assisting clients in prisons and immigration detention centres, and international organisations have selected the firm to report on prison conditions and human rights matters. Founding partner Jose Herrera was listed in Asia Business Law Journal’s A-List of Thailand’s top lawyers in 2024.

Best for: foreign nationals facing an extradition request, arrest on a red notice, or deportation from Thailand.

2. Norton Rose Fulbright

Norton Rose Fulbright’s Thailand white-collar practice lists extradition claims among its capabilities, alongside money laundering, fraud, bribery, and sanctions work, backed by the firm’s global disputes network.

Extradition strengths:

• Extradition claims within white-collar cases
• Cross-border investigations
• Multi-jurisdiction coordination

Best for: executives whose extradition exposure sits inside a wider international financial crime case.

3. Pisut & Partners

Pisut & Partners is a Bangkok litigation boutique with a dedicated white-collar crime and extradition practice, representing individuals and entities in complex financial and criminal investigations.

Extradition strengths:

• Extradition defence
• White-collar crime cases
• Financial investigation response

Best for: individuals wanting a Thai litigation boutique on the extradition itself.

4. Interpol Notice Thai

Interpol Notice Thai is a specialist team focused entirely on Interpol and extradition matters in Thailand. The firm reviews red notices and arrest warrants for procedural errors and political motivation, represents clients in national courts, and files CCF applications to remove unlawful notices from Interpol’s systems. Its lawyers work in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, and Russian.

Extradition strengths:

• Red notice and diffusion challenges
• CCF applications
• Airport detention response
• Multilingual client handling

Best for: clients whose case centres on the Interpol notice itself.

5. Red Notice Lawyers

Red Notice Lawyers is an international practice specialising in Interpol defence and extradition, with published analysis of Thailand’s treaty network and the Extradition Act. The firm assesses treaty and non-treaty mechanisms, dual criminality, procedural defects, and human rights grounds, and coordinates with qualified Thai counsel where Thai court proceedings are required.

Extradition strengths:

• Treaty and reciprocity analysis
• CCF applications, drafted and signed by a senior partner
• Cross-border defence coordination

Best for: internationally mobile clients needing strategy across several jurisdictions.

6. Intercollegium

Intercollegium is an international extradition law firm with a Thailand practice covering extradition proceedings and Interpol red notice cases, including matters proceeding without formal treaty arrangements.

Extradition strengths:

• Extradition court representation
• Red notice response
• Non-treaty reciprocity cases

Best for: foreign nationals wanting an international firm with a Thailand desk.

Comparison of Extradition Defence Options in Thailand

What to Look for in an Extradition Lawyer

Questions to ask before engaging: how many extradition oppositions has the firm argued before the Thai Criminal Court, has it filed CCF applications, and can it support the client in detention while the case runs.

Conclusion

Extradition from Thailand is a court process with real defences: dual criminality, the political offence exception, treaty gaps, procedural defects, and human rights grounds have all defeated requests. The right lawyer depends on where the case centres.

If the fight is in the Thai Criminal Court, engage a Bangkok firm that has argued extradition oppositions there. If the case turns on the Interpol notice, a CCF specialist matters as much. Either way, the time to engage counsel is at the first sign of a request or notice, before a provisional arrest takes the initiative away.

FAQ

Which countries have extradition treaties with Thailand? Thailand has treaties with more than a dozen countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, China, South Korea, India, and Australia. Without a treaty, Thailand can still consider requests on a reciprocity basis.

Can I be extradited from Thailand without a treaty? Possibly. The Extradition Act B.E. 2551 (2008) allows Thailand to process requests from non-treaty countries based on reciprocity, so the absence of a treaty is not by itself protection.

Is an Interpol red notice an arrest warrant? No. A red notice has no enforcement power under international law, but Thai authorities may use one as the basis for a domestic arrest warrant, which can lead to extradition proceedings.

What is dual criminality? The alleged conduct must be a criminal offence in both Thailand and the requesting country, generally punishable by at least 1 year of imprisonment. If the act isn’t a crime under Thai law, extradition can be refused.

Can extradition be refused for political cases? Yes. Thai law and Thailand’s treaties include a political offence exception, and courts examine whether a request is politically motivated.

How long do extradition proceedings take in Thailand? Contested cases can run for years through the Thai Criminal Court and appeals, and the person may be detained or on bail during that time.

Can a red notice be removed? Yes, where Interpol’s own rules were violated, a lawyer can apply to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF) to challenge and remove the notice, in parallel with the Thai proceedings.

Sources

• Herrera & Partners, Extraditions in Thailand (treaty partners, reciprocity, Section 7 criteria, decade of opposition work): https://herrera-partners.com/extradition/
• Herrera & Partners, Interpol Notices in Thailand (notice types, red notice to arrest warrant in practice, DEA cases): https://herrera-partners.com/interpol-notices/
• Herrera & Partners, On Extradition and Interpol Notices in Thailand (process stages, politically motivated cases): https://herrera-partners.com/2025/03/24/on-extradition-and-interpol-notices-in-thailand/
• Herrera & Partners, Jose Herrera partner profile (extradition opposition, ABLJ A-List 2024): https://herrera-partners.com/mr-jose-herrera-partner/
• Thai Extradition, Extradition Lawyers in Thailand (Extradition Act 2008, reciprocity, dual criminality): https://thaiextradition.net/extradition/
• Thai Extradition, Extradition from Thailand to USA (1983 treaty in force 1991, Central Authority, 1-year threshold): https://thaiextradition.net/extradition/thailand-to-united-states/
• Thai Extradition, Extradition from Thailand to UK (1911 treaty, 31 listed offences, modern crime gaps): https://thaiextradition.net/extradition/thailand-to-united-kingdom/
• ThaiLawOnline, Thailand Extradition: Legal Guide (US treaty dates, 2014 supplementary treaty, Criminal Court review, treaty network): https://www.thailawonline.com/does-thailand-have-an-extradition-treaty/
• Siam Center Law Group, Extradition in Thailand (political offence exception, death penalty and human rights grounds, Viktor Bout case): https://siamcenterlawgroup.com/extradition-in-thailand-legal-framework-and-challenges/
• Chiang Mai Lawyer, Extradition Requests in Thailand (Extradition Act procedures, dual criminality): https://www.chiangmai-lawyer.com/extradition-requests-in-thailand.html
• Red Notice Lawyers, Countries With No Extradition Treaty With Thailand (defence grounds, reciprocity, coordination with Thai counsel): https://rednoticelawyers.com/blog/countries-with-no-extradition-treaty-with-thailand/
• Red Notice Lawyers, Interpol Red Notice defence and CCF applications: https://rednoticelawyers.com/
• Interpol Notice Thai, Interpol and Extradition Lawyers in Thailand (CCF applications, warrant analysis, languages): https://interpolnoticethai.com/en/services/extradition-interpol/
• Intercollegium, Thailand Extradition Lawyers (red notice mechanics, non-treaty cases): https://intercollegium.com/locations/thailand/
• Norton Rose Fulbright, White-collar crime, Thailand (extradition claims capability): https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-th/services/4d5fc32b/white-collar-crime
• Pisut & Partners, White Collar Crime & Extradition: https://pisutandpartners.com/white-collar-crime-extradition/