Recommendation For Good Local Lawyer To Do Thai Will

[Jingthing]

Can someone mention a more reasonably priced local Thai lawyer to do a simple Thai will? I am getting quotes of 10K and up for something that can be done in an hour. Being from the US where I can draft a simple online will for almost no money, this seems to me over the top. Any suggestions?

[barryofthailand]

They are quoting you the corerect price. ten thousand is the standard price for a Thai will.

Barry

[Jingthing]

They are quoting you the corerect price. ten thousand is the standard price for a Thai will.

Barry

OK, if that is what I have to pay, I would like a decent service. Any suggestions on where exactly to go for a decent service?

[onzestan]

They are quoting you the corerect price. ten thousand is the standard price for a Thai will.

Barry

OK, if that is what I have to pay, I would like a decent service. Any suggestions on where exactly to go for a decent service?

May sound funny, but a decent one to be found in soi 6. International Law ............ (don't remember the exact name)

cheers

onzestan

[CRUNCHER]

Go and see Lek at Pattaya Real Estate and Consultants in Pattaya Sai near Soi 10. Tel 0815780672. About 5,000 baht.

[patsfangr]

I had heard, but have not confirmed, that a Thai wife can write a will, leaving land and property to her foreign spouse. With the signature of two witnesses, this will, I was told, would be valid, and would allow the foreigner to own the land and property.

Can anybody verify, clarify, or refute this for certain?

[barryofthailand]

I had heard, but have not confirmed, that a Thai wife can write a will, leaving land and property to her foreign spouse. With the signature of two witnesses, this will, I was told, would be valid, and would allow the foreigner to own the land and property.

Can anybody verify, clarify, or refute this for certain?

This is true, but if you do not use a lawer you need to register the will with the local Amphur. If you use a lawer they will take care of it for you. If your Thai wife does not make a will and she dies before you, all the land and home may go to her family.

Barry

[hanibal7]

Thai living on thepresit road,near the bottom on left from sukhumvit.

i did 2 wills and a life term partnership agreement for 10k.good english speaking there and a good service.

[longball53098]

The law office we used only supervised the content of what we wrote and took a small fee (2500baht) for helping us write the will,,,,,,,,,,gave us recommendations as to the proper words and content,,,,,,,,,,,,,but they did not write the will for her,,,,,,,,,once completed it was signed by two friends( not included in the will) the friends were the witnesses to her signing the will not what is content of the will,,,,,,,,,,,,no registration needed,,,,,,If they prepared the will for us then the fee would have been higher as now they are on the hook legally,,,,,,,they did not want to do that

[barryofthailand]

The law office we used only supervised the content of what we wrote and took a small fee (2500baht) for helping us write the will,,,,,,,,,,gave us recommendations as to the proper words and content,,,,,,,,,,,,,but they did not write the will for her,,,,,,,,,once completed it was signed by two friends( not included in the will) the friends were the witnesses to her signing the will not what is content of the will,,,,,,,,,,,,no registration needed,,,,,,If they prepared the will for us then the fee would have been higher as now they are on the hook legally,,,,,,,they did not want to do that

The will must be written in thai and in English, otherwise the Thai Government would not recognize it as a Thai will as this is Thailand and official bussiness is conducted in Thai language.

Barry

[Jingthing]

I have heard differently about the language. That the will can be written in English only and still indeed be a Thai will. However, I have also heard if there is a Thai version, the Thai version takes precedence.

[WiseOne]

I had heard, but have not confirmed, that a Thai wife can write a will, leaving land and property to her foreign spouse. With the signature of two witnesses, this will, I was told, would be valid, and would allow the foreigner to own the land and property.

Can anybody verify, clarify, or refute this for certain?

Sad but not true. Foreigners inheriting land have a fixed period to dispose of the land following the thai equivalent of probate. The last time I saw a definitive time was a few months ago but, broadly, 6m to 12m is the period. If the land is not sold the state will do it for you at their price and you have no rights as to price or terms. You can own the property; not a lot of use if the new landowner takes over!

[soisicknote]

I had heard, but have not confirmed, that a Thai wife can write a will, leaving land and property to her foreign spouse. With the signature of two witnesses, this will, I was told, would be valid, and would allow the foreigner to own the land and property.

Can anybody verify, clarify, or refute this for certain?

This is true, but if you do not use a lawer you need to register the will with the local Amphur. If you use a lawer they will take care of it for you. If your Thai wife does not make a will and she dies before you, all the land and home may go to her family.

Barry

yep u can do that at the amphur i think its 200 baht, if my memory is correct

[Jingthing]

Lawyers wills done by the witness method are NOT registered with the amphur! Not by you, not by the lawyer. They are enforced by presenting an original copy when executed.

There is another method of doing a will in Thailand, without a lawyer, without signed witnesses registered at the amphur. I can see why people might assume lawyers register the witnessed wills at the amphur. But they don't.

Edited May 25, 2008 by Jingthing