Technology-enabled dispute resolution. Virtual hearings as standard.
The Centre’s default position is that hearings shall be conducted virtually unless the tribunal determines that in-person attendance is necessary. This reflects the Centre’s commitment to making construction dispute resolution more accessible, more efficient, and less costly for all parties.
Virtual hearings eliminate the significant costs of international travel, venue hire, accommodation, and the logistical burden of coordinating multi-party proceedings across jurisdictions. For construction and infrastructure disputes — where parties, counsel, experts, and witnesses are frequently located in different countries — the cost savings are substantial.
The Centre has published a comprehensive Practice Note on Virtual and Hybrid Hearings (CACAP/ADM/2026/003) setting out the procedural framework, technology standards, and construction-specific provisions that apply to virtual proceedings.
Hearings are conducted virtually unless the tribunal determines in-person attendance is necessary. Parties may request in-person hearings with reasons.
Where some participants need to attend in person and others remotely, the Centre supports fully hybrid proceedings with dedicated technical support.
End-to-end encrypted platforms with waiting rooms, breakout rooms, screen sharing, and recording. Meeting credentials distributed only to authorised participants.
Near-real-time AI-assisted transcription at a fraction of traditional court reporting costs, with human review available where required.
A dedicated technology conference is convened 14 days before each hearing to test connections, demonstrate tools, and resolve technical issues in advance.
Comprehensive data protection measures aligned with GDPR and Thai PDPA requirements. Data residency options available on request.
Construction and infrastructure disputes present particular opportunities for the effective use of technology. The Centre’s virtual hearings protocol includes provisions specifically designed for construction proceedings:
Live video inspections, drone-captured aerial imagery, 360-degree photographic surveys, and virtual reality models enable tribunals to view sites without the cost and delay of physical attendance.
Experts may present delay analysis using shared-screen display of scheduling software (Primavera P6, Microsoft Project), navigating as-planned, as-built, and impacted programme overlays in real time.
Interactive presentation of bills of quantities, variation assessments, and financial models, allowing tribunals and parties to test assumptions and sensitivities during the hearing.
Three-dimensional digital models may be presented and navigated in real time during hearings, providing tribunals with an immersive understanding of design and construction issues.
All documents assembled in searchable, bookmarked, and paginated electronic format with high-resolution construction drawings viewable at full detail.
Virtual hearings significantly reduce the overall cost of proceedings. The following costs are eliminated or substantially reduced:
International flights, hotels, and per diems for counsel, experts, witnesses, and tribunal members — eliminated entirely.
Physical hearing rooms, breakout rooms, and equipment hire — replaced by secure virtual platforms at no additional charge.
AI-assisted transcription at a fraction of traditional court reporting costs, with 24-hour turnaround.
Electronic hearing bundles eliminate the cost of printing, binding, and shipping physical document sets to multiple locations.
The tribunal may take into account a party’s unreasonable refusal to participate in virtual hearings when making any order as to costs.
The Centre’s Practice Note on Virtual and Hybrid Hearings is available to parties, legal representatives, and practitioners.
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