I'm British, living many years in Thailand, and want to make a last Will.

I have been advised that any Thai Will will only cover assets here in Thailand (not much as most is in the wife's name).

I've done this through Isaan Lawyers (thanks guys), but need to do a separate Will for my assets outside Thailand.

Can I do this through a lawyer in Thailand? I don't want to have the hassle of traipsing back to the UK just for this.

 

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Edited February 22, 20197 yr by Andyfez

You don't need to be in the U.K. to file a will. Select a U.K. lawyer and it can be done from here.

You don't need to be in the U.K. to file a will. Select a U.K. lawyer and it can be done from here.

Strange. I've called three, and they all said they could do nothing without seeing me for legal reasons.

Sent from my JKM-LX2 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I done mine from here and know others that have also managed it so certainly possible. I am about to move my will from the mainland to Jersey and don't anticipate any problems.

Edited February 22, 20197 yr by Mahseer

Unless your affairs are very complicated, you don't need a lawyer.  There are plenty of will writing services which can do the job, or you can get a will writing kit and do it yourself.

Have a look here:

 

http://www.tenminutewill.co.uk/main.cgi?d_ref=microsoft&d_ref_2=diy_will&d_ref_3=making a will online

If the will for the U.K. is non complicated purchase an online will pack. Fill it in and get two independent witnesses to sign it they cannot be family and they must both be present when signing and dating the will I would alsoname a person in the will who is your executive as lawyers charge the Earth if you allow them to act on your behalf

15 hours ago, Andyfez said:

Strange. I've called three, and they all said they could do nothing without seeing me for legal reasons.

Sent from my JKM-LX2 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

you can follow an online will document template, which is quite legal, so long as you get the wording right and you get it properly witnessed. 

https://www.gov.uk/make-will/writing-your-will

6 hours ago, Oxx said:

Unless your affairs are very complicated, you don't need a lawyer.  There are plenty of will writing services which can do the job, or you can get a will writing kit and do it yourself.

Exactly right. The only thing you need to make sure you do is acknowledge the existence of the second will, just explaining that this will covers your UK estate only.

17 hours ago, Mahseer said:

You don't need to be in the U.K. to file a will. Select a U.K. lawyer and it can be done from here.

Correct, but please be very careful if doing a UK Will, that you don't inadvertently revoke your Thai Wil. It's very easily done. Also your UK Will should specify that it on;y relates to your assets in the UK or outside Thailand.

 

Alan

http://www.ukwillscompany.com/

this is my business, I am in Thailand

18 hours ago, Andyfez said:

Strange. I've called three, and they all said they could do nothing without seeing me for legal reasons.

Sent from my JKM-LX2 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

they are talking rubbish to you.

they wont do it by phone or online for you because then they cannot sell you the very expensive addons that you dont need.

legal reasons.........what a load of tosh.

http://www.ukwillscompany.com/

that is my company, I am in Thailand.

I can do it very easy for you if you want

32 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

http://www.ukwillscompany.com/

this is my business, I am in Thailand

 

I may well contact you at some point !

I used these forms no need for lawyers. Totally legalT13_Last_Will_and_Agreement.pdf

13_Last_Will_and_Testament.pdf

Last Will and Testament
(General and basic form in the case that there is an executor)
Written At.......................................................... Date.................Month..................B.E. Year.................... I.................................................................................Age...............Residing at House No. ................ Alley/Soi......................................Street.....................................Sub-district.....................................................
District............................................Province..............................................I would like to state the following in this will. After I die, all of the assets that I currently have and that I will acquire in the future be devolved upon the following persons:
(1) ....................................................................................
(2) ....................................................................................
(3) ....................................................................................
....................................................................................
....................................................................................
And I appoint..................................................................................to be the executor of my estate and to divide my assets as inheritance according to my wish.
For the record, I am putting down my signature as evidence.
Signature...................................................Person making the will (...................................................)
I, the undersigned, certify that .....................................................the Will Maker has made this will in my presence and he/she has done it while he is fully sane and rational. Therefore, I am signing this document as the witness of this will.
Signature.....................................................Witness (.....................................................)
Signature.....................................................Witness and Recorder (.....................................................)

พินัยกรรมแบบธรรมดา
(กรณีมีการตั้งผูจัดการมรดก)
ทําที่..................................................................... วันที่...................เดือน..........................พ.ศ...................... ขาพเจา ...................................................................................อายุ...............ป อยูบานเลขที่.................. ตรอก/ซอย......................................ถนน..................................ตําบล/แขวง.......................................................
อําเภอ/เขต............................................จังหวัด..............................................ขอทําพินัยกรรมไววาเมื่อขาพเจา ถึงแกความตายแลว ใหทรัพยสินของขาพเจาทั้งหมดที่มีอยูในปจจุบันและที่จะมีตอไปในอนาคตนั้นตกได แกบุคคลดังตอไปนี้ คือ
(1) ....................................................................................
(2) ....................................................................................
(3) ....................................................................................
....................................................................................
....................................................................................
และขอตั้งให....................................................................................เปนผูจัดการมรดกของขาพเจา เพื่อจัดการ แบงปนทรัพยสินอันเปนมรดกใหเปนไปตามเจตนาของขาพเจา
เพื่อเปนหลักฐานขาพเจา ไดลงลายมือชื่อไวเปนสําคัญ
ลงชื่อ...................................................ผูทําพินัยกรรม (...................................................)
ขาพเจา ผูมีรายนามขางทา ยนี้ ขอรับรองวา.....................................................ผูทําพินัยกรรม ไดทําพินัยกรรมตอหนาขาพเจา และไดกระทําลงในขณะที่มีสติสัมปชัญญะบริบูรณทุกประการ ขาพเจา จึง ลงลายมือชื่อไวเปนพยานในพินัยกรรม
ลงชื่อ.....................................................พยาน (.....................................................)
ลงชื่อ.....................................................พยานและผูเขียน (.....................................................)

In USA, the lawyer must be licensed in a jurisdiction in USA.

A Will drawn up by a Thai lawyer would not be recognized in America.........I would think it would be the same for U K, Australia, Canada and every other major country, probably mostly that there is no way to verify the authenticity.

11 hours ago, Oxx said:

Unless your affairs are very complicated, you don't need a lawyer.  There are plenty of will writing services which can do the job, or you can get a will writing kit and do it yourself.

Will kits can be deemed useless in many jurisdictions, I can understand why a lawyer needs to meet in person to take instruction and establish your identity and bone fides.

 

1 hour ago, IssanMichael said:

not พินัยกรรมแบบธรรมดา
(กรณีมีการตั้งผูจัดการมรดก)
ทําที่..................................................................... วันที่...................เดือน..........................พ.ศ...................... ขาพเจา ...................................................................................อายุ...............ป อยูบานเลขที่.................. ตรอก/ซอย......................................ถนน..................................ตําบล/แขวง.......................................................
อําเภอ/เขต............................................จังหวัด..............................................ขอทําพินัยกรรมไววาเมื่อขาพเจา ถึงแกความตายแลว ใหทรัพยสินของขาพเจาทั้งหมดที่มีอยูในปจจุบันและที่จะมีตอไปในอนาคตนั้นตกได แกบุคคลดังตอไปนี้ คือ
(1) ....................................................................................
(2) ....................................................................................
(3) ....................................................................................
....................................................................................
....................................................................................
และขอตั้งให....................................................................................เปนผูจัดการมรดกของขาพเจา เพื่อจัดการ แบงปนทรัพยสินอันเปนมรดกใหเปนไปตามเจตนาของขาพเจา
เพื่อเปนหลักฐานขาพเจา ไดลงลายมือชื่อไวเปนสําคัญ
ลงชื่อ...................................................ผูทําพินัยกรรม (...................................................)
ขาพเจา ผูมีรายนามขางทา ยนี้ ขอรับรองวา.....................................................ผูทําพินัยกรรม ไดทําพินัยกรรมตอหนาขาพเจา และไดกระทําลงในขณะที่มีสติสัมปชัญญะบริบูรณทุกประการ ขาพเจา จึง ลงลายมือชื่อไวเปนพยานในพินัยกรรม
ลงชื่อ.....................................................พยาน (.....................................................)
ลงชื่อ.....................................................พยานและผูเขียน (.....................................................)

That would not stand up in an Australian court, would not be granted probate

6 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Will kits can be deemed useless in many jurisdictions, I can understand why a lawyer needs to meet in person to take instruction and establish your identity and bone fides.

 

 

The OP is specifically referring to making a British will (though he probably actually means England and Wales, since other parts of the UK have a different legal system).  For that jurisdiction there is absolutely no problem with a will kit.  They're even sold in high street stores such as WH Smiths.

I made a will in Australia before departing.

 

After I arrived here, I made a Thai will to cover assets in Thailand.

 

My circumstances changed slightly, and I updated my Australian will in Thailand - made a new will in Thailand to cover all my assets in Australia.  Just reworded the old Australian will, got two friends here to witness the will.  Then posted the original and a copy off to my two will executors in Australia,

 

22 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Will kits can be deemed useless in many jurisdictions, I can understand why a lawyer needs to meet in person to take instruction and establish your identity and bone fides.

You're missing the point. The OP is talking about having multiple Wills, which is perfectly acceptable so long as each Will acknowledges the existence of the other Wills and makes explicit that the Will only covers the estate within that country. I have three Wills, one for Thailand, one for the UK and one for Singapore. I used a local lawyer in both Thailand and Singapore, for the UK I used a Will kit as the basis. I know from personal experience that an off the shelf WH Smiths Will kit is perfectly acceptable, I've executed such a Will and been granted probate without any issues. Though as already stated elsewhere, this is provided the Will is relatively straight forward.