We live in England and will soon be travelling for a short trip to Thailand. My Thai wife will be taking traveller's cheques with her. Her passport shows her maiden name (in both alphabets) and records the change of name to her married name, which is shown in the Roman script only. It only shows her signature in her maiden name, in the Thai script. Her Thai ID card shows her married name, in Thai script only. The ID card does not show her signature. She has a UK provisional driving licence, which shows her married name and signature in Roman script.

How should she sign the traveller's cheques? Maiden name in Thai? Married name in Thai script? Married name in Roman script? Obviously the countersignature will have to match the first signature on the cheques, but they have not been collected and signed yet.

The order form for the cheques asked what name they should be issued for. I don;t remember seeing this question before. If the cheques show this name, for which we put down her married name in Roman script, how does this affect the answer?

Last year she signed cheques in her maiden name, as she was still using an ID card in her maiden name and her passport had not been amended.

Technically it shouldn't matter,

but since some dumb clerk will want to compare it with a passport,

best to use the Roman version.

At least they can read it that way.

I would suggest avoiding the problem by using an ATM card rather than travelers checks as they are much less trouble and can easily be used at almost any ATM in the country. I understand that some UK banks soak you but for limited amounts it may not make that much difference. Or just buy checks for yourself and let her keep the atm card for emergency? If you are travelling together why does she need anything more than some emergency cash/credit/atm card?

Technically it shouldn't matter,

but since some dumb clerk will want to compare it with a passport,

best to use the Roman version.

At least they can read it that way.

The worry there is that said dumb clerk will want to compare the signature on the cheque with the signature on the passport. The specimen signature in the passport is for her maiden name, in Thai.

Were you suggesting maiden or married name?

The deed is done; the cheques are signed. There has been no change - names do not appear on travellers cheques. We took the bank's confident advice - use the signature next to the photo on the passport.

One reason for my wife to take her own traveller's cheques is that she has her own plans for spending some of her own hard-earned savings.

use the signature next to the photo on the passport.

And use the same passport when cashing the travellers cheques.