Beautician from Thailand battles British heirs for £400k inheritance

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of The Daily Mail

 

by Bob Scott

 

In an explosive legal showdown fit for a soap opera, a beautician from Thailand is taking her former British lover’s sons to the London High Court, demanding her slice of their late father’s £400,000 inheritance.

 

The contentious affair has captivated courtroom observers, as they watch the tug-of-war over promises, property, and pounds unfold in the British High Court.

Kanokporn Nattachai arrived in London from Thailand to square up against Simon and David Burrage, sons of the late Roger Burrage, a British builder who tragically ended his life in January this year at the age of 75.

 

According to Kanokporn, she’s owed nearly £200,000 (8.42 million baht), money she claims is based on promises made by the Surrey widower throughout their intense relationship in Thailand, where they shared a life filled with luxury and allure.

Burrage embarked on a new chapter of his life when he relocated to Thailand, using his construction expertise to build an opulent three-bedroom seaside villa in Hua Hin.

 

The luxurious abode, boasting breathtaking mountain views, sprawling grounds, a delightful outdoor pool, and enough amenities to rival any holiday resort, became the heart of their romance.

 

Picture of the pool villa in Hua Hin courtesy of The Daily Mail

The 40 year old Thai woman, now residing solo in the villa rumoured to be worth anywhere between £100,000 (4.21 million baht) and £240,000 (10.1 million baht), has laid claim to nearly half of her lover’s estate, arguing that she played a crucial role in his business and emotional landscape.

In court documents, Kanokporn detailed her alleged financial entanglement with Burrage, citing a £200,000 loan she purportedly provided to support his business.

 

She insists she’s entitled to a share of the builder’s assets, reasoning that the will fails to offer her “adequate financial provision.” Her claim sets the stage for a fierce legal struggle where glitzy romance clashes with complex estate law.

 

However, steadfast in their pursuit of preserving their father’s wishes, Burrage’s sons, Simon and David, reject the legitimacy of Kanokporn’s demands.

 

Their barrister, Lydia Pemberton, acknowledges their father’s generosity during his lifetime, conceding she had received gifts, including the luxurious Hua Hin villa along with support to establish her beauty parlour.

 

They state these gestures fulfil any obligations to her, firmly embracing the view that the British man was never in a position, or inclined, to borrow from Kanokporn.

 

Picture of Burrage and Kanokporn at the luxury villa he built in Hua Hin courtesy of The Daily Mail

Central to the sons’ defence is the assertion that their father, who battled mental health issues, was especially vulnerable in his final years and that his Thai companion exploited this fragility.

 

“The deceased was not maintaining the claimant before his passing,” argues Pemberton, dismantling the picture of a sustained romantic partnership in Burrage’s last months.

 

Instead, she highlights a rift that supposedly materialised when Burrage left Thailand for the UK, a move Kanokporn allegedly tried to counteract by urging his return.

 

Representing Kanokporn, solicitor Manoon Junchai presents an alternative narrative, arguing that the British builder’s promises were entrenched in their emotional bond which spanned from 2016 until his return to Surrey in 2021.

 

He alleges Burrage portrayed their relationship as a budding business partnership tied in with romantic undertones, assuring Kanokporn financial security for their “life together.”

 

Her solicitor further suggests the failure to honour this commitment would be unconscionable, emphasising her contributions to Burrage’s personal and professional life.

 

Picture of Burrage courtesy of The Daily Mail

Despite the interplay of claims and counterclaims about the couple’s financial arrangement, the proceedings reveal a more complex web of interactions and emotions.

 

The Burrage brothers maintain that their father’s last will, drafted in 2006, was clear in its intentions to leave his English estate to them, not her. They portray Kanokporn’s involvement as limited to the receipt of gifts and financial enhancements, refuting her active help in his UK property ventures.

 

Amidst these legal tit-for-tats, the court scrutinises the financial footprints and transactional history of both parties involved. Pemberton casts doubt on the Thai woman’s narrative of lending such a sizable sum, pointing out her financial independence contradicts claims of dependence on Burrage.

 

It is highlighted that any money transferred was linked to properties held in Kanokporn’s name, due to restrictions on foreign ownership in Thailand, rather than being contributions towards Burrage’s UK business dealings, reported The Daily Mail.

 

As legal drama continues to unfold, the brothers’ application for a “security for costs” order has garnered considerable attention. This protective measure seeks to ensure Kanokporn is financially prepared to handle their legal costs should her claim prove unsuccessful. If approved, it would require her to deposit funds upfront as a safety net.

 

The judge, Julia Clark, is presently reviewing this request, signalling that a formal decision is forthcoming. Observers eagerly anticipate her verdict, understanding it could set a significant precedent for similar future disputes involving cross-border relationships and estate claims.

 

Picture of Kanokporn courtesy of The Daily Mail

As the saga spins ever more intricately, it evokes age-old questions concerning love, loyalty, and the legacy of promises.

 

What remains to be seen is whether whispered assurances made under the moonlit skies of Hua Hin possess enough legal standing to reshape the life of a beautician from Thailand, or if the Burrage brothers’ interpretations of their father’s intentions will prevail, maintaining the integrity of a will crafted decades earlier.

 

The final outcome could prove as lucrative as it is enlightening.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2025-02-04

 

 

[WHansen]

Sounds like her family have got involved and can see a bright future as well as a lovely house and a business.

[JoePai]

citing a £200,000 loan she purportedly provided to support his business

 

🤣🤣🤣 That's the best so far  !

[Elvis Presley]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

In an explosive legal showdown fit for a soap opera, a beautician from Thailand is taking her former British lover’s sons to the London High Court, demanding her slice of their late father’s £400,000 inheritance.

 

Disgusting, greedy gold-digging cow.

 

I hope the London high court awards her nothing except her deportation papers.

[NickyLouie]

Good Lord !

[Sandboxer]

15 minutes ago, Elvis Presley said:

Disgusting, greedy gold-digging cow.

 

Kinda thought it was a bull based on pics but whatevs.

 

Brit nutcase with bad taste, go figure.

 

And all this hoopla over a lousy GBP 400k, pathetic.

[sungod]

Be happy with the house in Thailand you old hag. I seriously doubt anyone with a head like that is a beautician.

[norfolkandchance]

Thai bashing at its best.

[proton]

6 minutes ago, norfolkandchance said:

Thai bashing at its best.

 

Some people need to be bashed, Thai or not

[hotsun]

Theres a definite stereotype that farangs all take the old ugly ones, this story doesnt help

[KannikaP]

The sons quote his Will being drafted in 2006, but he didn't get together with her until 2016.  Hmmmmm?

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, hotsun said:

Theres a definite stereotype that farangs all take the old ugly ones, this story doesnt help

And from my personal experience, that is all total BS. I know many guys with very good looking Thai partners over 40.

[BritManToo]

Wonder how she got a VISA to show up in the UK?

 

[PomPolo]

She's definitely let herself go since that first photo!

[BritManToo]

18 minutes ago, hotsun said:

Theres a definite stereotype that farangs all take the old ugly ones, this story doesnt help

How many women partners have you had that still looked good 10 years after you met?

Normally they let themselves go after 2-4 years of co-habiting.

[lom]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

How many women partners have you had that still looked good 10 years after you met?

Normally they let themselves go after 2-4 years of co-habiting.

I've always been amazed of how different they look the morning after.

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

promises, property, and pounds

 

I enjoy alliteration.

 

[KhunHeineken]

It's going to be funny when it comes out in Court that she's a Ladyboy. 

[GammaGlobulin]

She looks like a char woman, only meaner.

 

Hope she doesn't get a dime.

 

Hope she loses the house, too.

 

What a dried up old unhappy bag.

 

Maybe she needs counseling of the Freudian variety.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

love, loyalty, and the legacy

 

This one, I like.

Chock-full of Alliteration, and Injustice.

 

[Samh]

Have I got this right. They had an affair, they weren't married. There are no dependent children. She was not mentioned in the will. So her reason to inherit is what exactly? Zero chance I would say. and spending a shed load of money to prove the point.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

59 minutes ago, proton said:

Might have some sympathy if she was a looker 😊, but that face like a smacked arse screams nasty, greedy bitch. What did he ever see in that?

Whilst i agree with your sentiment, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Or so I am told!😊

[XB12X]

I hope she gets the square root of nothing. Which is what will happen. I hope the two sons refuse to pay for her flight, too.

[Samh]

1 hour ago, sungod said:

Be happy with the house in Thailand you old hag. I seriously doubt anyone with a head like that is a beautician.

Yes I think the wording in UK law was that she benefited during the relationship. What reason is there to inherit anything. Not married, no dependent children.

[Purdey]

He built a house in Hua Hin? In whose name?

[wozzlegummich]

The only winners here will be the lawyers. There won't be much left of GBP 400K once they've had their snouts in the trough.

[Patong2021]

1 hour ago, Sandboxer said:

Kinda thought it was a bull based on pics but whatevs.

 

Brit nutcase with bad taste, go figure.

 

And all this hoopla over a lousy GBP 400k, pathetic.

 

Exactly. The legal fees are going to eat into the estate.

If she was meant to be taken care of, it would have been stated in the will. Otherwise, she was probably already taken care of. He probably took into account that  she had ownership of the home, contents and any motor vehicles and adjusted his estate accordingly.

 

On the other hand, as a reminder to those who who would bash her as an opportunist, keep in mind that she was living with a mentally ill man and probably was acting as his caregiver/stabilizing  presence.  He couldn't have been easy to live with, so she does have a moral basis to get something.

[Spilornis]

Five year de facto relationship will get her a "fair share" under UK law. (The test is whether or not it is considered reasonable that the testator should have made provision for her in the will.)

Lawyers will take most of it if it goes to court.

I'd settle but the GBP200k alleged debt complicates things. If I were the kids I'd want some proof before I admitted that claim to the settlement pot.

BTW these claims are made much easier if the deceased had made a will saying I'm not leaving any money to X because of ABC

[thjames88]

12 minutes ago, Samh said:

Have I got this right. They had an affair, they weren't married. There are no dependent children. She was not mentioned in the will. So her reason to inherit is what exactly? Zero chance I would say. and spending a shed load of money to prove the point.

at first i was going to say wtf give her a share of the money  greeedy kids dont need it.

 

but i agree with your comments.   if in fact he wanted her to have more money he should have put in his Will   if he didnt before he died  thats his fault.  and one would hope you just follow the Will word for word.   as we all would hope for

[NorthernRyland]

53 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Wonder how she got a VISA to show up in the UK?

 

with a face like that who could say no?