Anyone call for counsel? Vineet Budhiraja is on the legal side of Agoda.

Your Honour, objection!” This is the impassioned saying that first comes to mind when thinking of lawyers. The glitz and the glamour of a courtroom and law offices have long enticed filmmakers, television show producers, and the common public alike. I, too, for a brief and misguided moment in my adolescence, once thought of pursuing a career in law. The statue of the scales of justice was an enticing image, as was the thought of being a saviour for the misjudged and helpless. I’m sure there are countless others in the same boat as me who once dreamed of becoming lawyers.

There are many different types of lawyers, the same way there are different types of law systems. Each country has its own judicial system, but at its core, most judiciaries follow the same structure of three courts with varying power. The Supreme Court, as its name suggests, is the highest authority of law in most, if not all, countries. There are three overarching types of law: administrative law, which regulates government agencies through rules affecting public policy; criminal law, which oversees crimes and prosecutions; and civil law, which tackles conflicts between individuals or organisations and includes contracts and personal injury.

Vineet Budhiraja, as Principal Counsel at Agoda, primarily manages legal matters pertaining to marketing, procurement, and some strategic regulatory and licensing projects. He is an integral part of the in-house legal team at Agoda that helps the company to achieve its strategic objectives while helping it navigate the complexities of the global legal landscape.

Tell us about how you got started and your journey thus far.

I would consider myself to be Indian-born and UK-bred. I grew up in Delhi, but at the age of 10, I convinced my parents to send me to The Daly College–a boarding school in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. I’m sure it sounds unusual because most people’s experiences of boarding schools revolve around their parents pushing them toward it, but here I was, convincing (begging, really) my parents to let me attend boarding school. My father may have had his initial misgivings, but in hindsight, I found it to be a great move on my part. The boarding school experience taught me to be independent from a very early age.

After I completed my schooling, I moved to Pune to pursue my law degree, but as I approached the three-year mark in my five-year course, I decided to move to the UK. My move was completely unplanned and was actually borne out of a casual conversation with a university representative at a British Council fair. I must be frank: I only attended the fair to procrastinate on revising for an upcoming exam. I received an offer from the University of Leicester and decided to make the switch. My parents were, as always, incredibly supportive, but had their own set of conditions for me. My mother’s condition: I was to visit home at least once a year. My father’s? I would still be eligible to practice law in India.

With their blessings, I completed my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in law in the UK, and before I knew it, I had spent 16.5 years there until my move to Bangkok in late 2019.

What drew you to law as a career?

In two words: my father. I have a vivid memory of the summer break after Year 8 when my father asked me what I wanted to do in life. It was a loaded question for a 13-year-old, especially one who wanted to enjoy his summer break. I answered the way any boy that age would have: a simple shrug of the shoulders. My father didn’t relent. He prodded me a little until I blurted out, “Flight engineer!” I think I said it because I must have liked travelling and ying at that age. My dad then asked me, “What about law?” He told me the story of how he had always wanted to be a lawyer but never had the opportunity to do so because of the migration to India from what is now known as Pakistan during the partition. In a sense, he had planted the seed in my brain. It was his own version of Christopher Nolan’s Inception.

As luck would have it, or perhaps my father’s plan all along, we would then attend my uncle’s swearing-in ceremony as a High Court Judge in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Something must have clicked for me when I watched that, and my mind was made up. I wanted to pursue law.

Having been in London for a long time, what convinced you to take the journey across continents and settle in Thailand?

To be honest, we were settled in London and had no plans to move anywhere, at least not for the foreseeable future. Although we have roots in Thailand since my mom’s family and my wife’s family live here, Thailand was not on my radar. Sure, I had travelled to Thailand on many occasions since my childhood, but I did not see it as somewhere I would work and live.

Life has ways of surprising. We lost my mother very unexpectedly, and that led to a change in our outlook. We wanted to be close to my father, and for various reasons, the UK was not shaping up to be a viable option for our family unit. We had considered moving back to India and even Australia. In fact, we came quite close to moving to Australia. I received a job offer there, and my sister also lives in Melbourne. Then, one of my cousins suggested Bangkok. That’s when I asked myself: why not Thailand?! Lo and behold, a year or so later, we were in Bangkok! And dare I say, it is hard to see myself living anywhere else now!

How does practicing law in a commercial setting differ from the typical courtroom dramas that many of us are familiar with?

What you see on television, Suits (2011– 2019), is exactly how it is in real life! Hah, not even close. Commercial in-house law is very different from the courtroom dramas we all enjoy on TV. Firstly, no business wants to end up in court. Litigation for business is generally viewed as a last resort—as a rule of thumb, it is not good for business. Litigation is costly and eats up precious resources, which ultimately prevents a business from delivering great products and services to its customers, and yes, making money. That is not to say we never go to court. It happens occasionally, but even then, it is not as quick and glamorous as shown on TV! There is a lot of paperwork, protocol, and procedure, and fewer grandstanding speeches and tricks.

How does a regular day look for the principal counsel at Agoda?

There is no “regular” or standard day. That is the best part about Agoda and my role. Each day is different. You may start the day thinking I am going to focus on this or I’m going to work on that today, and within 30 minutes of your day, you are doing something completely different!

I would say the only consistent quality across each day is that something interesting will definitely land on your desk. We have very smart—much smarter than me—people at Agoda who are always innovating. Constant innovation means newer things to consider and, at times, to resolve.

As a lawyer, and more so at a global company like Agoda, you don’t have a set 9-to-5 job. Sometimes you will have long days that consist of either early mornings or late nights. That is part and parcel of the experience. In these situations, flexible working arrangements and understanding within the teams are key. For instance, at Agoda, we have a hybrid work setup which helps a great deal.

Are there things that you appreciate about Bangkok that perhaps you did not have in London? What makes Bangkok an attractive workplace?

I believe Bangkok’s most attractive quality is that it offers a nice blend of the East and the West. It has culture (food), comfort (reasonable cost of living), and many of the systems we are generally used to in the West. You could say we have more of an organised chaos here! Plus, the location is perfect for exploring both sides of the globe, which makes it a great travel hub. Not to forget, Thailand itself has so many places to offer. As a family, we feel as though we have only scratched the surface of places to explore.

With so much on your plate, a support system can be a lifesaver. Who is part of your support system?

Firstly, my family includes my wife, my two boys, my father, and our four-year-old beagle pup, as well as the members of our extended family. Of course, in my five years in Thailand, I have also been fortunate to make some good friends, which is also important.

Bangkok, and by extension Thailand, is such a beautiful place. How do you like to unwind?

I must admit my answer to this is quite boring: I love my nest. To unwind, I do a variety of things. I spend time with my family, follow my football club FC Barcelona, either work out at the gym or go running, listen to my favourite podcasts (Empire, Rest is Football, and Acquired), play my PlayStation 5, of which, these days I am exclusively playing EA Sports FC (formally known as FIFA), and read. Currently, I seem to be on a history kick, thanks, in part, to the podcast Empire.

What advice would you give those aspiring to a career in law?

Law is tough, but if you’re up for the challenge (and the paperwork), it is a rewarding ride! You must love reading because you’ll be buried in books and fine print for years. If you like to argue for fun, why not turn it into a paying job? Your words are your weapons;sharpen them. Intern, volunteer, rinse, and repeat—real-world experience beats courtroom dramas. From crime-fighting to corporate deals, the law has a specialty for everyone, which means you are spoiled for choice. Of course, any career path is stressful, but coffee helps. So does a sense of humour.