In preparing to move to Thailand I would appreciate feedback on the following questions:

Which option is the best or most sensible?

i) All bills in my name (Farang)

ii) All bills in joint names (Farang and Thai citizen)

iii) All bills in Thai wife's name

Will the opinions be consistent or vary? Let's see.

Sorry if it is a dumb question, but it is not obvious to me and hence the question.

In way of extra information my marriage is not registered in Thailand. Does this affect the above?

Many questions and no doubt more to come before I actually set foot in Thailand.

Many thanks for any feedback.

I don't see that it makes any difference at all. Mine are all in my name, I just did it that way without thinking about it. Your utilities (water and electric) don't have anyone's name on, just the address.

Mine are mixed

Electric - my name

Phone - Wife's name

Cable TV - previous owners name

The wife tried to change the cable TV to our name when we got the annual bill from banglamung cable but it was too hard for them to do so she just paid the bill anyway for another year.

Best way to pay electric and phone though is automatic deduction from your bank account.

Mine are mixed

Electric - my name

Phone - Wife's name

Cable TV - previous owners name

The wife tried to change the cable TV to our name when we got the annual bill from banglamung cable but it was too hard for them to do so she just paid the bill anyway for another year.

Best way to pay electric and phone though is automatic deduction from your bank account.

Thank you for your feedback 'sweetchariot' and 'Smokin Joe'. Noted

When I opened my HSBC account, they wanted proof of residence(lease) and copies of my bills helped to prove I was staying here full time.

When I opened my HSBC account, they wanted proof of residence(lease) and copies of my bills helped to prove I was staying here full time.

I was thinking the same, there are times when you might needs bills to prove you live here (offshore acct, being one).

So some of our bills are in my husbands name and some in mine.

Have at least one, which prints its monthly bills in English, in your name.

Some bills I wanted in my name were refused on the grounds of them having to pay extra taxation, so I conceded and let them go in the Thai name. No problem as I paid the bills anyway.

All of them are in my name. Never really thought about it when signing up to services. Never had anyone ask for proof of anything, and none refused to put a bill in my name.

JL

Thank you for the additional comments everyone. From my experience here in the Middle East it is worth having at least one bill in your name with your residential address showing, as you sometimes have to prove your address to investment firms (anti-money laundering reasons). I have just had such a request here! All my bills are sent to my present work address though, so proving where I live is a tad tricky. I will be moving soon though