Meet

Troy is a partner and head of the firm’s International Practice. Troy is engaged primarily in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investment, banking and finance, and general corporate law. With a career spanning more than 25 years in Asia, Troy has extensive experience in advising a broad spectrum of Thai and international public and private companies, private equity funds and government agencies, on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures, project and corporate financings, real estate developments, energy projects, and general corporate matters.

Publications and Presentations

• Cabinet Approves Amendments to Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code, including New Merger Provisions
• Business Rehabilitation in Thailand: What Every Thai and Foreign Creditor Needs to Know
• COVID-19: Compensation Benefits Schemes for Employers and Employees
• PP-SME: New Option to Raise Funds For SMEs and Startups in Thailand
• Powering The Future: How Robotics & Automation Are Changing Thailand’s Manufacturing Sector
• Is Thailand Safe For Investors Amid the Coronavirus Outbreak?
• “Getting the job done: Outlook for Thailand M&A” – Asia Business Law Journal, 25 November, 2019
• “New debt crowdfunding regulations” – Thailand – IFLR 1000 International Briefings, October/November 2019.
• Thailand Chapter for The Merger & Acquisitions Review, 8th Edition, Law Business Research, 2014.
• Thailand Chapter for The Merger & Acquisitions Review, 7th Edition, Law Business Research, 2013.
• “Foreign Direct Investment in Thailand – Business as Usual”, ASIAN-MENA COUNSEL, Volume 9, Issue 8, 2011.

Awards and Recognitions

• Recognized as Thailand’s Top 100 lawyers in Asia Business Law Journal, 2019 – 2021
• Notable Practitioner by IFLR 1000, 2019-2021
• Troy Schooneman, received accolades for his ability “to bring parties to the table and make a deal happen, sometimes in the most trying of circumstances, with tight deadlines and demanding clients,” says Mark Fraser, managing partner of Frasers Law Company in Vietnam. “He has exceedingly strong interpersonal skills and is fluent in Thai and English, as well as having a strong background in international M&A transactions from deals undertaken throughout Asia and elsewhere,” says Fraser. – Asia Business Law Journal, 2020
• “Leading Lawyer” in Banking and Finance, Projects and Energy by The Legal 500 AP, 2009- 2014
• “Leading Lawyer” in Projects and Energy by Legal 500 AP, 2009- 2014
• “Praised for his in-depth knowledge and experience of pan-Asian markets” – The Legal 500 commentary, 2012
• “Respected for his expertise in corporate matters” – IFLR1000 commentary, 2014

Education and Admission

• LL.B, Monash University, Australia, 1989
• B.A (Psychology), Monash University, Australia, 1989

Professional Qualifications

• Senior Courts of England and Wales, 1999
• High Court of Hong Kong, 1997
• High Court of Australia, 1990
• Supreme Court of Victoria, 1990

A selection of matters in which Kongkoch has been involved include:

Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Joint Ventures

Representing Stark Corporation PCL. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries PDITL and PD Cables (SG) Pte. Ltd. in connection with its cross-border acquisition of 100% of the charter capital of Thinh Phat Cables Joint Stock Company (“Thipha”) and Dong Viet Non-Ferrous Metal and Plastic Joint Stock Company (“Dovina”), the largest inbound private sector industrial transactions in Vietnam in the last three years valued at approximately THB 7.5 billion (USD 239 million).

Representing Phelps Dodge International (Thailand) Limited (PDITL), a subsidiary of Stark Corporation PCL in a cross-border acquisition financing extended by United Overseas Bank (Thai) PCL and Kasikornbank PCL in the aggregate facilities value of approximately THB 7.5 billion (USD 239 million) for indirect acquisition of all equity interests in Dong Viet Non-Ferrous Metal and Plastic Joint Stock Company (Dovina) and Thinh Phat Cables Joint Stock Company (Thipha) in Vietnam.

Representing Dovina and Thipha, post-acquisition subsidiaries of PDITL, in the financing arrangements for revolving working capital extended by United Overseas Bank Limited in Singapore and United Overseas Bank (Vietnam) Limited in the aggregate facilities value of approximately USD 55 million for operations, expansion and further development in Dovina and Thipha.

Representing BJC International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berli Jucker Public Company Limited (BJC), in connection with its acquisition of a 65% shareholding in Phu Thai Group, Vietnam’s largest distribution and logistics conglomerate. *

Representing BJC International in connection with its acquisition of the “Family Mart” retail chain in Vietnam from Japan’s Family Mart Co., Ltd. *

Representing BJC and Owens-Illinois Inc., the world’s leading glass container manufacturer, in connection with the acquisition of Malaya Glass Company Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiaries in Thailand, Vietnam, and China. *

Representing Kuwait Petroleum International in connection with the sale of its “Q8” service stations in Thailand to Malaysia’s Petronas. *

Representing BJC in connection with its acquisition of Asia Books, the largest English language bookstore chain in South East Asia. *

Representing United States Import-Export Bank on the Creditors’ Committee in connection with the debt restructuring of Thai Petrochemical Public Company Limited (TPI) and, subsequently, in connection with a dispute with TPI’s former shareholders. *

*Denotes experience at a previous firm.