Abstract:
Although there currently raises the notion yielded from the rule of international insolvency law to centralize cross-border insolvency proceedings by applying the Center of a Debtors Main Interests test (COMI) in order to specify an international jurisdiction of the court which carries on main proceeding in performing as a cross-border insolvency case management center, still there is no clear definition or application rule. This leads to the controversy among courts, authorities involved in bankruptcy proceedings in each country and people in legal profession who partake in the development of international insolvency law. Accordingly, this thesis aims to study the source, development, legal principle and cross-border insolvency rule that may relate to the study regarding the COMI concept. It also compares the interpretation and application method between the European court under the Council Regulation no.1346/2000 on Insolvency Proceeding and enacting states court under the Model law on cross-border insolvency of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL Model law) in order to find out an appropriate way to interpret, apply and draft provisions concerning COMI for Thailand and prepare herself before enacting legislation based on the UNCITRAL Model law in near future. The study demonstrates that even though COMI has been established with an international origin and aims to specify the geographical location which allows an ultimate convenience for cross-border insolvency case management, judgments given by courts of countries in European Union as well as enacting states have shown the difference and deviation in interpretations and applications of COMI concept which has become the barrier of judicial co-operation among the court, official receiver and related authority. Consequently, this thesis proposes to specify the definition of COMI and to apply the head office function approach in case that the debtor is a juristic person and habitual residence approach in case that the debtor is a natural person. Moreover, the courts should proceed with a broad and flexible scope to determine the location of COMI by assessing different facts and evidences in each case. Simultaneously, Thailand should add more sufficient connecting points for claiming an international jurisdiction on cross-border insolvency case other than the remaining domicile and carrying on business tests under Article 7 of the Bankruptcy Act B.E. 2483 in order to facilitate a crossborder insolvency proceeding in Thailand and to harmonize with cross-border insolvency rule on an international level.