Changing last name in Thailand as a Thai

[FarAway]

So my Thai wife and I we married outside of Thailand.

Now we wanted to register the marriage within Thailand but it is a hustle with a lot of stupid documents, travelling to Embassies and stuff like that.

The only reason we want to register the marriage inside Thailand is that she can have my surname, no need for marriage visa as we have a daughter.

 

Now I stumbled upon some articles, they claimed that in Thailand as a Thai you can simply change your surname to any name you want at any given time at your Amphoe, with just your Tabien Baan and ID Card.

Is this information up to date and correct?

So am I right that she can just go to the Amphoe and change her last name to mine like that?

[JeffersLos]

6 minutes ago, FarAway said:

in Thailand as a Thai you can simply change your surname to any name you want at any given time at your Amphoe, with just your Tabien Baan and ID Card.

Is this information up to date and correct?

No, not any name. For example the surnames leading with 'Na' and then location, indicate they are from noble bloodline, descending from that city. Thais cannot change their surname to that.

 

 

The last time I was home I legally changed my surname to Na Ayutthaya.

 

You should see their faces at immigration. 

[FarAway]

21 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

No, not any name. For example the surnames leading with 'Na' and then location, indicate they are from noble bloodline, descending from that city. Thais cannot change their surname to that.

 

 

The last time I was home I legally changed my surname to Na Ayutthaya.

 

You should see their faces at immigration. 

Okay, but this was very obviously not the point as my surname even more obviously is not like that.

So it is possible for her to change to any name, in this case my surname, with just ID Card and Tabien Baan, yes?

Edited October 22, 2022 by FarAway

[FritsSikkink]

38 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

No, not any name. For example the surnames leading with 'Na' and then location, indicate they are from noble bloodline, descending from that city. Thais cannot change their surname to that.

 

 

The last time I was home I legally changed my surname to Na Ayutthaya.

 

You should see their faces at immigration. 

Fake name, hope you enjoy it.

[Hummin]

My wife going to do it now. Need a certified translation, and brought to my embassy for verification, then register at local ampur. If she do not need the marriage registered,  she only her I'd card to change her name to mine. But, read carefully, she will need to change everything to the new name, house reg, bank cards, accounts, insurance, car, motorbikes reg, passport,,,,,,

 

We had a discussion on it, and we will see 

 

https://thailawonline.com/en/family/marriage-in-thailand/changing-name-at-marriage.html

Edited October 22, 2022 by Hummin

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

hope you enjoy it.

Thanks very much. ???? 

[FarAway]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

My wife going to do it now. Need a certified translation, and brought to my embassy for verification, then register at local ampur. If she do not need the marriage registered,  she only her I'd card to change her name to mine. But, read carefully, she will need to change everything to the new name, house reg, bank cards, accounts, insurance, car, motorbikes reg, passport,,,,,,

 

We had a discussion on it, and we will see 

 

https://thailawonline.com/en/family/marriage-in-thailand/changing-name-at-marriage.html

 

Okay thank you.

We do not give a damn about marriage being registered in Thailand, I see no benefit from it. It really is just about the name, so a simple name change it will be.

About changing the things like bank cards, passport and chanote title I know. But it is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so it is okay.

 

Thanks for the confirmation!

[Hummin]

29 minutes ago, FarAway said:

 

Okay thank you.

We do not give a damn about marriage being registered in Thailand, I see no benefit from it. It really is just about the name, so a simple name change it will be.

About changing the things like bank cards, passport and chanote title I know. But it is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so it is okay.

 

Thanks for the confirmation!

The possible benefit being registered is if a pandemic occure again or anything else that could seperate you two.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Hummin

[scorecard]

Yes It's possible to change the family (namsakoon) of a Thai person to a typically Western family name.

 

My experience: My adult adopted son, 21 year old. He wanted to change his family name to mine. I was happy with his request.

- Wrote a letter to Ministry of Interior asking for permission to change his family name name to my family name. 

- Permission to change came back within about 1 week. 

- Took permission letter to local amphur office, 30 minutes later new ID card, name changed in Tabien Baan book.

- Polite lady asked him if he had a passport. He did, she reminded hime to go quickly and get a new passport.

 

All done no pain whatever.

Different example but proves name change is possible and painless.

 

[KhaoYai]

Seen this done a few times - simple visit to the Amphur.

[Gottfrid]

7 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

The last time I was home I legally changed my surname to Na Ayutthaya.

 

You should see their faces at immigration.

Yeah, and we all know what they think about you.

[mania]

As others have said easy enough (usually just show translated marriage certificate)

But realize the harder part is then she will need to change everything else

Govt card

Passport , drivers license etc etc

 

Especially if as you say you were married outside of Thailand & plan to go back?

Western Countries & especially USA need all ID's to match ticket name etc  to travel

 

[Kwasaki]

9 hours ago, FarAway said:

So am I right that she can just go to the Amphoe and change her last name to mine like that?

Yes.

[Raindancer]

8 hours ago, FarAway said:

Okay, but this was very obviously not the point as my surname even more obviously is not like that.

So it is possible for her to change to any name, in this case my surname, with just ID Card and Tabien Baan, yes?

Yes you can.  My wife has a double barrelled name.  Her surname followed by my surname.

 

All done at the amphur,  where she received a new ID card.

[FritsSikkink]

10 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Thanks very much. ???? 

Might give you loads of trouble as the real ones will not like it: Chirayu Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya is a Thai economist and court official. He has been the Director-General of the Crown Property Bureau and Grand Chamberlain of the Bureau of the Royal Household since 1987 and become Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household in the end of 2016.

 

Here some different article quotes:

Na Ayudhya[edit]

In the Family Name Act, B. E. 2465, Rama VI ordered that royal descendants who do not hold any title should append "Na Ayudhya" (ณ อยุธยา) to their surname to signify they are descended from a royal bloodline. Sometime spelled "Na Ayutthaya".

 

Lèse-majesté in Thailand is a crime according to Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code. It is illegal to defame, insult, or threaten the monarch of Thailand (king, queen, heir-apparent, heir-presumptive, or regent). With penalties ranging from three to fifteen years imprisonment for each count, it has been described as the "world's harshest lèse majesté law"^[1] and "possibly the strictest criminal-defamation law anywhere.

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by FritsSikkink

[billd766]

12 hours ago, Hummin said:

My wife going to do it now. Need a certified translation, and brought to my embassy for verification, then register at local ampur. If she do not need the marriage registered,  she only her I'd card to change her name to mine. But, read carefully, she will need to change everything to the new name, house reg, bank cards, accounts, insurance, car, motorbikes reg, passport,,,,,,

 

We had a discussion on it, and we will see 

 

https://thailawonline.com/en/family/marriage-in-thailand/changing-name-at-marriage.html

My wife never bothered to change her family name to mine. Our 18 year son however has my family name.

[JeffersLos]

On 10/22/2022 at 11:41 PM, FritsSikkink said:

Fake name, hope you enjoy it.

On 10/23/2022 at 12:49 AM, JeffersLos said:

Thanks very much. ???? 

 

15 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

economist and court official. 

 

It's what I list as my profession. ????

[JeffersLos]

19 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Yeah, and we all know what they think about you.

Pales in comparison to what most Asean Now posters think about Thai immigration offices and officers. ????????????

[Gottfrid]

6 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Pales in comparison to what most Asean Now posters think about Thai immigration offices and officers. ????????????

But of course! One wrong makes another wrong to be right. Personally, I would like to see such name change a reason for denied entry. That, as it´s only intention is to make a joke about a noble family name and be provocative.

As for the reason, so many Asean Now poster think and talk bad about Thai Immigration and it´s officers. That, both you and me, know is only two simple ones. The first is that they can´t handle change very well and want everything to stay like it was 30 - 40 years ago. But, sorry! It´s called evolution and development. The second is that they do not want to be told what they need to do. Many time that is one of the big reasons they left home country. Like the need to show money, which a certain percent can´t. Tell your address and 90-day reports, are apparently very gruesome and hard to make. It´s also terrible if a border immigration officer happens to look a little bit longer in that passport. Then, that is scrutiny and very irritating for the foreigner.

Let´s just face it. The complaints and anger over Thai Immigration and it´s officers is just pure fear. The fear of denied entry. The fear of not getting an extension. The fear of being denied entry with 7 back-to-back tourist visas. If a foreigner has all papers they ask for, or can supply, as well as the money needed. No problem! No reason to think bad or low about Immigration. Hell, they are good people. They even accept that you go through an agent a sometimes waive the need for show money.

[brianthainess]

Thais can change their name in 15 min, but their ID number always stays the same on their new card. I don't see any reason she can't change her name to yours. Names don't count, they are just a number, thumb print and photo (taken by the Amphur).  

[billd766]

3 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

But of course! One wrong makes another wrong to be right. Personally, I would like to see such name change a reason for denied entry. That, as it´s only intention is to make a joke about a noble family name and be provocative.

As for the reason, so many Asean Now poster think and talk bad about Thai Immigration and it´s officers. That, both you and me, know is only two simple ones. The first is that they can´t handle change very well and want everything to stay like it was 30 - 40 years ago. But, sorry! It´s called evolution and development. The second is that they do not want to be told what they need to do. Many time that is one of the big reasons they left home country. Like the need to show money, which a certain percent can´t. Tell your address and 90-day reports, are apparently very gruesome and hard to make. It´s also terrible if a border immigration officer happens to look a little bit longer in that passport. Then, that is scrutiny and very irritating for the foreigner.

Let´s just face it. The complaints and anger over Thai Immigration and it´s officers is just pure fear. The fear of denied entry. The fear of not getting an extension. The fear of being denied entry with 7 back-to-back tourist visas. If a foreigner has all papers they ask for, or can supply, as well as the money needed. No problem! No reason to think bad or low about Immigration. Hell, they are good people. They even accept that you go through an agent a sometimes waive the need for show money.

I have no fear or problems with the Thai Immigration officers, especially up here in Kamphaeng Phet. They are farang friendly and very helpful.

[Gottfrid]

11 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I have no fear or problems with the Thai Immigration officers, especially up here in Kamphaeng Phet. They are farang friendly and very helpful.

Sure, never said that I have either. Just tried to explain why the ones who only have bad things to say about them do so. ???? 

I have only nice things to say. They never make any problems with me. I actually bought them cake one time, to show some gratitude.

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Sure, never said that I have either. Just tried to explain why the ones who only have bad things to say about them do so. ???? 

I have only nice things to say. They never make any problems with me. I actually bought them cake one time, to show some gratitude.

Here you go with your ‘farang bash’ and ‘Thai Defence’ when no one on this thread has said anything against any Thai at all yet....   !!!!....   

 

[richard_smith237]

My Wife changed her Surname to mine after we were married... 

As I understand it the initial ‘change’ was carried out simply enough... however, there was a fair bit of leg work to also change all the other documents etc... 

Driving Licence, House Book, Credit Cards, Air-line Frequent flyer memberships, Bank Accounts, phone contracts etc.... quite a lot...   (and quite a lot that I’ve forgotten to mention). 

 

 

[scorecard]

On 10/23/2022 at 1:51 AM, scorecard said:

Yes It's possible to change the family (namsakoon) of a Thai person to a typically Western family name.

 

My experience: My adult adopted son, 21 year old. He wanted to change his family name to mine. I was happy with his request.

- Wrote a letter to Ministry of Interior asking for permission to change his family name name to my family name. 

- Permission to change came back within about 1 week. 

- Took permission letter to local amphur office, 30 minutes later new ID card, name changed in Tabien Baan book.

- Polite lady asked him if he had a passport. He did, she reminded hime to go quickly and get a new passport.

 

All done no pain whatever.

Different example but proves name change is possible and painless.

 

And should get, from the Amphur office, a separate document called a 'Certificate of Change of Name'. 

[Gottfrid]

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Here you go with your ‘farang bash’ and ‘Thai Defence’ when no one on this thread has said anything against any Thai at all yet....   !!!!....   

 

Where is the farang bashing? Are you saying that you never read complaint about Thai Immigration and officers involved on this forum? In that case, I will look for a good optician for you.

[FarAway]

Hi,

 

after a lot of time we now went to the District Office. Because we were outside of the country and its on another island blablala.

 

They said my wife cannot change her last name to my name.

 

The reason they stated:

"Our daughter would be the "owner" of my name in Thailand, so my daughter would need to approve that my wife can have our name. But because she is under the age of 18 years, she cannot allow my wife to take our name."

They said if my wife would take my name and the name of our daughter now it would be illegal and she would go to jail. Not kidding.

 

I cannot believe all of this.

I stated that many people in this Forum told me they did so with no issues, then they gave me a number from the Ministry of Interior. The woman there literally told my wife I should ask in this forum how you guys did it and which documents you had and that I should ask you at which District Office you were able to do that.

 

So yeah, anyone can advise me on what to do now?

[DrJoy]

19 minutes ago, FarAway said:

The reason they stated:

"Our daughter would be the "owner" of my name in Thailand, so my daughter would need to approve that my wife can have our name. But because she is under the age of 18 years, she cannot allow my wife to take our name."

They said if my wife would take my name and the name of our daughter now it would be illegal and she would go to jail. Not kidding

Utter rubbish.

 

When I married my Thai wife in Bangkok ( Chatuchak Dist Office) they changed her name then and there.

 

She was provided with a certificate as evidence and got a new Thai id card reflecting her new name.

 

However, they have mentioned  She has requested to change her surname to Mrs. Joy owing to marriage.

 

So I think you will need to register your marriage here in Thailand.

 

Note -

She can change name only in the district office where she is registered

[FarAway]

2 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

Utter rubbish.

 

When I married my Thai wife in Bangkok ( Chatuchak Dist Office) they changed her name then and there.

 

She was provided with a certificate as evidence and got a new Thai id card reflecting her new name.

 

However, they have mentioned  She has requested to change her surname to Mrs. Joy owing to marriage.

 

So I think you will need to register your marriage here in Thailand.

 

Note -

She can change name only in the district office where she is registered

Please read the topic.

Our marriage is not registered in Thailand and we do not want to do it.

We just want her to have my last name.

 

Several people here mentioned it would be possible, but obviously it is not possible. Now we do not know how to proceed anymore.

[DrJoy]

10 minutes ago, FarAway said:

Please read the topic.

Our marriage is not registered in Thailand and we do not want to do it.

We just want her to have my last name.

 

Several people here mentioned it would be possible, but obviously it is not possible. Now we do not know how to proceed anymore.

I have read it.

 

You have to register your marriage here, its not an option that you have.

 

I have given you correct advice, you may choose to follow or not, each on its own then