Living Will In Chiang Mai

[connda]

Has anyone had a lawyer draw up a Living Will in Thai and English here in Chiang Mai?

I'm aware of the template at Lanna Care Network, but I'd like a Living Will that is written in Thai and English and tailored to my own EOL wants and desires. 

[seedy]

Any lawyer can draw up a Will, of any type, to suit your needs.

And do the probate when required.

[connda]

32 minutes ago, seedy said:

Any lawyer can draw up a Will, of any type, to suit your needs.

And do the probate when required.

This post is not about a Last Will and Testament.  I have one of those for the disposition of my assets after my death.

I'm talking about a "Living Will" also called an "Advanced Healthcare Directive."  They are two very different legal documents and server different purposes.

[KannikaP]

7 minutes ago, connda said:

This post is not about a Last Will and Testament.  I have one of those for the disposition of my assets after my death.

I'm talking about a "Living Will" also called an "Advanced Healthcare Directive."  They are two very different legal documents and server different purposes.

So what is it all about?

[Thailand]

We had a lawyer draw up ours but it is in English. He has a copy along with a copy of  our last will and testament.

We have a copy and the hospital we designated has a copy and signed by a director of the hospital.

Apparently we were the first to ever  lodge a living will with this particular hospital.

[brommers]

Had my living will & my will drawn up by Sumalee Jennapa who I have used for numerous things legal. She is fully bilingual and very approachable. Her website is www.29tanin.com and her offices easily accessible.

 

 

 

[seedy]

4 hours ago, seedy said:

Any lawyer can draw up a Will, of any type, to suit your needs.

And do the probate when required.

 

3 hours ago, connda said:

I'm talking about a "Living Will" also called an "Advanced Healthcare Directive."  They are two very different legal documents and server different purposes.

Did you miss the part where I said "of any type" ?

If so, I have quoted my reply

[fangless]

10 hours ago, brommers said:

Had my living will & my will drawn up by Sumalee Jennapa who I have used for numerous things legal. She is fully bilingual and very approachable. Her website is www.29tanin.com and her offices easily accessible.

 

 

 

I thought that Sumalee had been forced to retire due to ill health and so have not been trying to use her recently.  I hope I am wrongly informed and that she is in good health.  If she is then I would highly recommend her.

[connda]

On 12/4/2021 at 5:23 PM, KannikaP said:

So what is it all about?

One more time: "Has anyone had a lawyer draw up a Living Will in Thai and English here in Chiang Mai?"

I'd like a Living Will/Advanced Directive drawn up in Thai and English and would like to know if anyone could recommend a lawyer if they have had one drawn up. 

[Bill97]

On 12/4/2021 at 4:40 PM, seedy said:

Any lawyer can draw up a Will, of any type, to suit your needs.

And do the probate when required.

Many lawyers specialize and would not draw up a will since it is outside their specialty. Same for probate.

 

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, connda said:

One more time: "Has anyone had a lawyer draw up a Living Will in Thai and English here in Chiang Mai?"

I'd like a Living Will/Advanced Directive drawn up in Thai and English and would like to know if anyone could recommend a lawyer if they have had one drawn up. 

Please, what is a Living Will / Advanced Direcitive?

[Dante99]

 

 

 

36 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Please, what is a Living Will / Advanced Direcitive?

45 second search

 

A living will is a written, legal document that spells out medical treatments you would and would not want to be used to keep you alive, as well as your preferences for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation. 

[connda]

16 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Please, what is a Living Will / Advanced Direcitive?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/living-wills/art-20046303

 

[NancyL]

Lanna Lawyers can do this. 

 

Don't think that just because you filed yours with the hospitals that it's going to be honored.  It's VERY important to select a health care representative who will truly advocate for you.  Don't select someone who is likely to be overseas and/or simply "follow what the doctors recommend".

 

Thai medical technology is very advanced and they can keep someone alive for a long time, way beyond the time when they have any hope of a meaningful chance of returning to anything approaching the quality of the life that they'd probably want.  It's important to talk with your health care representative about what you're willing to accept. 

[beau thai]

I have the Lanna Care living will which is fine for my needs. If it wasnt I would use that as my base, adapt it in English to my needs, then get it translated (star visa maybe) into Thai-without the expense of a lawyer.

As in many countries,Euthanasia is illegal and there can not be a document with legal force that requires a doctor to do something illegal.

It is a nuanced process and rather luck of the draw whether there is a helpful doctor when the time comes.be

While a doctor may take his/her terminally ill cat/dog to the vet to  be helped on their way to avoid suffering (the vet may or ,may not agree!) ,doctors tend to see their job as saving patients and are reluctant to hasten  departure.

But a Living Will is better than nothing and may have the desired effect.

 

 

[Badger18]

20 hours ago, NancyL said:

Don't think that just because you filed yours with the hospitals that it's going to be honored.

My thoughts as well. I wonder whether it's possible to file it with your insurers. If the hospital wasn't going to get paid for a treatment you'd said you didn't want, that would probably focus minds a bit.

[Sparktrader]

On 12/5/2021 at 9:02 PM, Bill97 said:

Many lawyers specialize and would not draw up a will since it is outside their specialty. Same for probate.

 

Correct. Only certain ones do wills.

[seedy]

57 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

Correct. Only certain ones do wills.

Mine teaches law at CMU during the day.

His experience and knowledge is what I am basing my replies on.

Have at it.

[NancyL]

On 12/8/2021 at 1:22 PM, Badger18 said:

My thoughts as well. I wonder whether it's possible to file it with your insurers. If the hospital wasn't going to get paid for a treatment you'd said you didn't want, that would probably focus minds a bit.

That doesn't seem to matter for the hospitals.  They don't stop life-prolonging treatment, once undertaken, simply because the costs aren't being covered.  

[connda]

I had a Living Will/Advance Directive drawn up by CM Legal & Business Co, LTD here in Chiang Mai. 
It's been written and reviewed by the lawyer who owns the firm and meets the requirements of Thai law and is written in both English and Thai.
The entire document is 8 pages long including discussing the conditions under which I no longer wish health care, the type of health care I am refusing, a section stating that I only want care at a government hospital, and a section requesting palliative care if needed, and a section indemnifying doctors and healthcare providers for honoring my wishes.
Short examples of the documents below:

 

We received two original copies which we signed and were witnesses. I'll give initialed copies to my son, close friends in the village, and the head doctor at our local amphur hospital. 
I'm very happy with the document. Both my wife and I have identical documents which provides a lever as the health care representative for each other and I have the document Thai (unlike the document from Lanna Care Net) so there is no misinterpretation of either of our wishes for end-of-life care.

I think it's important to have a Living Will in place so that you are not turned into unconscious zombie who is good for pumping unending funds into a private hospital.  Most people who have health insurance don't have long-term care riders on that insurance - so long term care of someone in a vegetative state can be a financial drain even for them. 
There comes a point that you accept a life well lived and pull the plug.
This isn't for everyone.  Some people want to live regardless of the condition of their deteriorating body.  But for those of us who accept that part of life in the eventuality of sickness and then death, it's good to have your end-of-life care plan documented in a Living Will.

[seedy]

2 hours ago, connda said:

I had a Living Will/Advance Directive drawn up by CM Legal & Business Co, LTD here in Chiang Mai. 
It's been written and reviewed by the lawyer who owns the firm and meets the requirements of Thai law and is written in both English and Thai.
The entire document is 8 pages long including discussing the conditions under which I no longer wish health care, the type of health care I am refusing, a section stating that I only want care at a government hospital, and a section requesting palliative care if needed, and a section indemnifying doctors and healthcare providers for honoring my wishes.
Short examples of the documents below:

 

We received two original copies which we signed and were witnesses. I'll give initialed copies to my son, close friends in the village, and the head doctor at our local amphur hospital. 
I'm very happy with the document. Both my wife and I have identical documents which provides a lever as the health care representative for each other and I have the document Thai (unlike the document from Lanna Care Net) so there is no misinterpretation of either of our wishes for end-of-life care.

I think it's important to have a Living Will in place so that you are not turned into unconscious zombie who is good for pumping unending funds into a private hospital.  Most people who have health insurance don't have long-term care riders on that insurance - so long term care of someone in a vegetative state can be a financial drain even for them. 
There comes a point that you accept a life well lived and pull the plug.
This isn't for everyone.  Some people want to live regardless of the condition of their deteriorating body.  But for those of us who accept that part of life in the eventuality of sickness and then death, it's good to have your end-of-life care plan documented in a Living Will.

Very close to ours ...

[NancyL]

The current Lanna Care Net Advance Directive is in both English and the Thai language.  Has been for at least 4 or 5 years.  We've also added a section on how you want to handle your funeral arrangements, so that your Thai family doesn't feel the pressure to have an elaborate (i.e. expensive) funeral for you or your overseas family doesn't feel compelled to bring your body "home" rather than having it cremated here and the remains repatriated.

[OneZero]

On 2/8/2022 at 5:24 PM, NancyL said:

The current Lanna Care Net Advance Directive is in both English and the Thai language.  Has been for at least 4 or 5 years.  We've also added a section on how you want to handle your funeral arrangements, so that your Thai family doesn't feel the pressure to have an elaborate (i.e. expensive) funeral for you or your overseas family doesn't feel compelled to bring your body "home" rather than having it cremated here and the remains repatriated.

Interesting, & I'd like further information:

1.  How much does it cost?

2. POC Ph# to investigate further / potentially hire Lanna Care to do one for me.

[NancyL]

18 hours ago, OneZero said:

Interesting, & I'd like further information:

1.  How much does it cost?

2. POC Ph# to investigate further / potentially hire Lanna Care to do one for me.

It's a DIY document.  https://www.lannacarenet.org/lessons-learned-at-the-end-of-life/

[OneZero]

8 hours ago, NancyL said:

It's a DIY document.  https://www.lannacarenet.org/lessons-learned-at-the-end-of-life/

NancyL,

Thank you very much.