Singapore Academy of Law and Office of the Council of State of the Kingdom of Thailand sign MOU to advance legal studies, research, and technology innovation
Singapore, Thursday, 13 November 2025 – The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Office of the Council of State of the Kingdom of Thailand (OCS) to deepen collaboration in the design and delivery of legal development and legal technology initiatives. These include legal studies, legal research, and legal databases.
This marks the first strategic partnership between SAL and OCS — Thailand’s central legal advisory and law-drafting body serving the Cabinet and government agencies.
Under the MOU, SAL and OCS will work together to:
- Develop legal technology in Thailand and Singapore, exploring potential collaboration in showcasing Thai Legal Technology Start-Up firms at SAL’s annual TechLaw.Fest event(s) —Asia’s leading law and technology conference in Singapore, providing greater opportunities and exposure for Thai start-ups in the regional legal technology ecosystem;
- Foster innovation, collaboration, and capacity building efforts among students and legal professionals between both countries through academic networks and institutional partnerships, including exchange and learning visits in legal training programmes conducted by SAL and other Singapore-based institutions;
- Conduct research to develop common templates, legal dictionaries and schemas for data transfer and legal cooperation, paving the way for deeper ASEAN-wide integration; and
- Collaborate and exchange knowledge and technical expertise in the development of advanced legal databases and facilitating the translation of legal materials into local languages, improving access to justice across the ASEAN region.
Mr. Yeong Zee Kin, Chief Executive of SAL, said, “This MOU marks a significant step in strengthening intra-ASEAN collaboration on legal technology, fostering a more connected and innovative regional legal ecosystem. It reflects Singapore’s and Thailand’s shared commitment to leveraging collaboration and innovation to shape the future of law and technology.”
“By combining the expertise of SAL and OCS, we are strengthening legal capability across the region and fostering the exchange of knowledge and best practices. We look forward to sharing our experiences with OCS and with the various legaltech industry players in Thailand, exploring innovative approaches, and working together to advance legal development and innovation throughout ASEAN,” he added.
Mr. Pakorn Nilprapunt, Secretary-General of Office of the Council of State, said “Thailand is stepping up our digital transformation efforts to improve public administration and public services. OCS is leading with various cutting-edge initiatives such as the adoption of AI technology to help technical translation of law between Thai and English languages. This partnership between OCS and SAL will further our goal in transforming Thailand in the 21st century. ”
“I am excited that OCS will be working on this project with SAL. Both agencies share similar missions which can only strengthen the cooperation between the two countries in the important areas as stated in the MOU. In addition, this could be the starting point of a future network of ASEAN member countries on the development of legal technology.”
About the Singapore Academy of Law
Led by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and a distinguished Senate, the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is a statutory body representing a vibrant legal community of over 14,000 members, encompassing judges, practitioners, legal service officers, corporate counsel, and academics from Singapore’s law schools.
Our mandate is to build the intellectual capital of the legal profession by fostering thought leadership, developing world class infrastructure, and providing innovative legal solutions.At the core of what we do is raising the international profile of Singapore law and promoting Singapore as a centre for dispute resolution. We aim high to elevate the standards and efficiency of the legal practice.
We are invested in building a dynamic legal tech ecosystem to facilitate digital transformation for legal practices. We also believe in championing lawyers at every stage of their careers – from certification programmes for junior lawyers, to strategy and leadership programmes for more senior professionals. Through our accreditation schemes, including the prestigious Senior Counsel appointments, we celebrate professional excellence and dedication.
Our services to the public – be it authenticating documents for overseas use or providing stakeholding services for property transactions – show our commitment to inspiring trust and confidence in our professionalism.
Above all, SAL is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of legal practice, ensuring Singapore’s continued prominence as a beacon of legal practice.
More information can be found at www.sal.org.sg
About Office of the Council of the State of the Kingdom of Thailand
Office of the Council of State (OCS) is Thailand’s central legal advisory and law-drafting body serving the Cabinet and government agencies. Guided by the principle of Better Regulation for Better Life, OCS advances clear, predictable, and modern laws to support economic growth and public welfare.
OCS’s work spans statute drafting and review, legal opinions, regulatory impact assessment, and comparative legal research. We collaborate with domestic and international partners to align Thailand’s legal framework with global best practices, including regulation that enables innovation while protecting the public interest.
In recent years, OCS has prioritized initiatives that improve regulatory quality and access to law such as legal portal platform, capacity-building for public-sector lawyers, and cooperation on AI and legal-tech to strengthen the rule of law and service delivery.