Thai wife does not exist?

[Robin]

Filling in time t home sorting out personal documents etc, when it occurred to me that my Thai wife does not officially exist.  This situation might be more common than you think, so what should I do?

I married my long standing Thai g/f when we were living in UK.  Completely legal marriage at local registry office.  She may have had to show her Thai passport as identity, but too long ago to remember.  On the marriage certificate she is identified as V... P... Spinster, with father Y... P (deceased)

After the wedding we lived together in UK and had a joint bank account and she had her own account.  Both accounts have since been closed.

Now we are living in Thailand, she has kept her maiden name, with Thai ID card and passport in that name, mainly so hat she can continue to 'own' our house and some land in the village..  Probably many expats are living in the same way.

Looking at my UK Will, I find she is named as 'my wife V... C..., and no reference to her maiden name.  But.. Nowhere is there any evidence that this Mrs. V...C... is the same person as Miss V... P... living in Thailand with a Farang husband.

Has any member of the Forum had experience of a case like this??  What might happen when I die and someone challenges my will, that she is not the beneficiary?

Short of registering our marriage in Thailand, is there anything I can do to avoid future prolems?

[Farma]

8 minutes ago, Robin said:

, she has kept her maiden name, with Thai ID card and passport in that name, mainly so hat she can continue to 'own' our house and some land in the village

No problems owning house and land when married to foreigners nowaday. That rule went out the window many years ago.

[bob smith]

I sometimes wish the same mate ???? 

[mfd101]

Change your will to read 'XYZ, also known as ABC'?  (or whatever your UK and/or Thai lawyers suggest).

[brianthainess]

23 minutes ago, Robin said:

Now we are living in Thailand, she has kept her maiden name, with Thai ID card and passport in that name, mainly so hat she can continue to 'own' our house and some land in the village.

My wife changed her name to mine, of course she still owns our house and land. she also owns land in 2 other provinces.

[Liverpool Lou]

52 minutes ago, Robin said:

is there anything I can do to avoid future prolems?

Yes, just correct your will.

Edited August 22, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[Bert got kinky]

 

When we got married my wife changed to using my surname.

Her ID card, passport,blue books, bank books, etc. are all in her married name (my surname).

She has 3 properties in Thailand in her married name, without any problems.

 

Edited August 22, 2023 by Bert got kinky

[Liverpool Lou]

"Thai wife does not exist?"

 

48 minutes ago, Robin said:

she has kept her maiden name, with Thai ID card and passport in that name

Make up your mind!  She has a valid ID card and passport, I'm pretty sure that confirms her existence.

[Liverpool Lou]

52 minutes ago, Robin said:

she has kept her maiden name, with Thai ID card and passport in that name, mainly so hat she can continue to 'own' our house and some land in the village..

Outdated legislation that no longer applies.

[Crossy]

As above, fix your UK will to include both her names, AKA is just fine.

 

Also as above, the legislation preventing her from owning land if she took your name is long since rescinded.

 

When we moved to Thailand (long ago, there were dinosaurs roaming) Madam told me she was going to change her name (we married in the UK using her Thai married [and divorced] name). I thought she was going to change to my name, nope, she changed back to her original maiden name. No issues whatever, we have the relevant paper-trail. Thai's change their names with gay abandon and it's rarely an issue. 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I'm not sure, but I have heard that a Thai woman who has a foreign surname may have issues when seeking to register Sor Por Kor land in her name.

[malthebluff]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

I sometimes wish the same mate ???? 

Your not alone

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Thai's change their names with gay abandon and it's rarely an issue. 

It just takes them 15 min to change their name, but their ID number stays the same.

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I'm not sure, but I have heard that a Thai woman who has a foreign surname may have issues when seeking to register Sor Por Kor land in her name.

My wife did. no probs

[klauskunkel]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

As above, fix your UK will to include both her names, AKA is just fine.

Also include her ID number(s) and passport number(s)

[khunjeff]

Don't lose sleep over this.

 

First, unless you're fabulously wealthy, the odds of anyone challenging your will are pretty remote.

 

Second, it would be abundantly clear in any legal proceeding that Miss V (single) and Mrs V (nee Miss V) are the same person. 

[brianthainess]

She could change her name back at the Amphur office, walk across the road to the land office, register the land, walk back to Amphur and change her name again, her ID number does not change. 

[MangoKorat]

Concur with what others are saying. In terms of her eligibility to the proceeds of your will etc. All that is required is to identify that the recepient is as intended. In that case, listing her Thai ID number on your will should suffice - names can change but a Thai ID number never changes. This is probably the best method as Thai's often change names - its very easy to do so in Thailand.  Also, any change of name - carried out within Thailand will generate a Certificate of Name Change.

 

There has not been a problem with Thai's married to foreigners owing land for many years (since 1999 I think) so she can safely use her married name.  However, should you wish to go 'Belt & Braces', it would be very easy for you both to go to the Amphur and register your marriage with your wife taking your name. In terms of your UK will - you would make things much easier in the future if the subsequent name change certificate is translated and held, along with a copy of your marriage registration (and translation), with your will. There would be no need to change the name on any Thai land ownership - the name change certificate will take care of that.

 

Not sure if you know but registering a marriage at an Amphur is not a ceremony or any kind of celebration.  Its simply the legal registration of something that has already taken place and is just a formality. Its a very simple procedure and takes less than an hour.

 

Its always easier to put your house in order before you die than to leave it to those left behind to try and sort things out.

Edited August 22, 2023 by MangoKorat

[Satcommlee]

You are still alive, you can fix this now in a revised will as long as you can clearly establish the benefactor and your intent.

[Ddbanksy]

6 hours ago, Robin said:

Filling in time t home sorting out personal documents etc, when it occurred to me that my Thai wife does not officially exist.  This situation might be more common than you think, so what should I do?

I married my long standing Thai g/f when we were living in UK.  Completely legal marriage at local registry office.  She may have had to show her Thai passport as identity, but too long ago to remember.  On the marriage certificate she is identified as V... P... Spinster, with father Y... P (deceased)

After the wedding we lived together in UK and had a joint bank account and she had her own account.  Both accounts have since been closed.

Now we are living in Thailand, she has kept her maiden name, with Thai ID card and passport in that name, mainly so hat she can continue to 'own' our house and some land in the village..  Probably many expats are living in the same way.

Looking at my UK Will, I find she is named as 'my wife V... C..., and no reference to her maiden name.  But.. Nowhere is there any evidence that this Mrs. V...C... is the same person as Miss V... P... living in Thailand with a Farang husband.

Has any member of the Forum had experience of a case like this??  What might happen when I die and someone challenges my will, that she is not the beneficiary?

Short of registering our marriage in Thailand, is there anything I can do to avoid future prolems?

British Embassy BKK

[radiochaser]

7 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I'm not sure, but I have heard that a Thai woman who has a foreign surname may have issues when seeking to register Sor Por Kor land in her name.

I don't think my wife had any problem with regestering her property under the name Mrs. RadioChaser.  

[yankyoakum]

We just went through this in Chonburi, but from USA. Married in 70's in USA, wifes Thai ID still maiden name....does it matter???... naw... Retired here and want her US pension going to Thai Bank.  Easy to do as long as her Thai Bank account has EXACT same name as her pension account in US. Her Thai ID card # stayed the same, got name changed, opened her a new bank account here with married name and no problems. Otherwise not possible. Got name change done at office in Sattahip after trip to US embassy. The USA 1976 marriage cert from rural area had no identifier # and didn't say USA. It was cute one page fill in the blank form signed by church minister.  Hence the trip to Embassy, was and interesting exercise.  

[bignok]

Easy fix. Will says "wife" born d.o.b. as XYZ, also known as ABC.

 

Stupid question really. Ask a lawyer to explain will basics.

[Jaggg88]

14 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I'm not sure, but I have heard that a Thai woman who has a foreign surname may have issues when seeking to register Sor Por Kor land in her name.

Not true in my experience. We married in the UK and when we moved here my wife registered our marriage at the Amphur and then changed her name on all official documents. She owns our house and land and two years ago bought another small plot of land all in her married farang name.

[BillyBloggs]

17 hours ago, Farma said:

No problems owning house and land when married to foreigners nowaday. That rule went out the window many years ago.

Yes agree house and the farm and thai ID card were all changed into married name

[cracker1]

You could amend your will to say "V........P also known as V............C

[oldestswinger]

20 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Change your will to read 'XYZ, also known as ABC'?  (or whatever your UK and/or Thai lawyers suggest).

It would be better to say make a new will.

[Delight]

You do not need a Will-since all the asserts are in  her name.

[Robin]

many thanks for all the information and advice given here.  I did not know the land ownership law had changed.

I will get my UK will updated with her Thai  identities, and that should settle the legal side of the matter, so I will not die intestate.

 

How would we go about registering our marriage in Thailand?

Wife is now keen on the idea, though I assure her she is not going to lose out on any inheritance.  We went to the local Amphur office yesterday, and were given a load of nonsense by lady there, and passed on the a translation service company who did not want to help, and said we had to do this in UK, at the Thai Embassy in London.  Was she right?  We were hoping it could b done in Thailand.

We have a UK marriage Certificate, nd have lived together for over 35 yrs..  I am registered on the Tambien Ban  (yellow Book) for our house.