CMBob

1. Date. Sure, you fill in the date where indicated (use the day you apply). Would guess the IM would fill in the precise date if you left it blank. 2. TM7. Yes, one piece of paper (both sides). 3. Photos. I've actually used both.....white and light blue background.....without a problem here in CM.

The OP says: "Frankly one days income for me here in Austalia is equivalent to the entire value." Given that, there is no reason whatsoever to get involved or do anything as the probate costs will exceed that figure (unless you make more than a couple thousand dollars in a day). As to the OP saying he wants "so and so" to get this or that, it's not up to him. The deceased had a Will and, as long as it's valid, the Will will dictate who gets what. And the suggestion by another poster that Wills are often held by courts to be invalid due to duress or mental incapacity is baloney (yes, it does happen on rare occasion when there is reasonable evidence to support such a claim); however, even if the Will was held to be invalid, the assets will go to the persons designated by Thai intestacy laws and not to any others.

That scenario is possible if nobody did anything; however, given the deceased left "vehicles and money in a bank" here in Thailand, it would be foolish not to file probate proceedings here. Ultimately an order would be issued by the court transferring those assets to somebody [to some relative(s) of the deceased per the provisions of Thai intestacy laws]. The only viable reason not to do so is if the assets here in Thailand have less real value than the hassle and expense of the probate proceedings (i.e., if the value is less than a few thousand US dollars, it may not be worth the bother).