Money In Thai Account After Death

[everybody knows]

My friend died last year leaving money in a Thai bank account. His British wife has contacted me asking if she can retrieve this money when she visits Thailand next month. Can anyone offer any advice on this?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

My friend died last year leaving money in a Thai bank account. His British wife has contacted me asking if she can retrieve this money when she visits Thailand next month. Can anyone offer any advice on this?

Did he leave a will ? Are there children to consider ?

[Limbo]

My compliments for the most interesting question of the year.

More and more kinds of visums demand a Thai bank-account with a rather round amount on it.

In Maesai I was informed by the immigration officer that in the future the authorized income-declaration might not be sufficient for a retirement visum anymore.

Will the laws of other countries concerning 'legal portions' be accepted by the local authorities? And which Thai authority is going to execute these laws?

I know a European who made already five trips to Thailand this year to collect the inheritance of his father. Sometimes only for a short performance in court.

Yes Dr. Pat Pong, in this case a will was made.

Oh yes, there is also one of these very big worldfamous legal offices monitoring the case.

But it concerns a lot of money.

The gentleman has been offered halve of which he is entitled to.

[Limbo]

Re-reading my posting it doesn't seem clear to me.

I forgot to mention, that after the death of the foreigner concerned, a Thai person to my opinion mistakenly (still in court) thought to be the beneficiary.

I say mistakenly, because of the fact that the will doesn't back up his claim.

After all these sessions in court it is still not clear what prevails:

- the content of the will

or

- the opinion of the Thai person.

That is probably why a settlement of is offered. To save time...

[GuestHouse]

This is precisely the kind of thing I had in mind when I posted my question about making a will a few weeks back.

Wills are accepted and in the absence of a Thai will a foreign will is considered by the court.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Re-reading my posting it doesn't seem clear to me.

I forgot to mention, that after the death of the foreigner concerned, a Thai person to my opinion mistakenly (still in court) thought to be the beneficiary.

I say mistakenly, because of the fact that the will doesn't back up his claim.

After all these sessions in court it is still not clear what prevails:

- the content of the will

or

- the opinion of the Thai person.

That is probably why a settlement of is offered. To save time...

If there's a lot of money involved and there are contentious issues and/or claims, a decent legal advisor is a must.

[astral]

Is there an ATm card available?

Empty the account that way.

Much easier.

[sas_cars]

Is there an ATm card available?

Empty the account that way.

Much easier.

I was gonna suggest the same way

[ProThaiExpat]

Avoiding probate is the overall theme of this thread, since it is the interpretation of the will which makes probate expensive and bothersome to the heirs.

Astral's suggestion is a good one and most practical. Since my mate is Thai and my daughter overseas, I have kept her portion of the estate in homecountry institutions and my mates money in Thai banks.

A simple debit card held by you and the password given to your overseas loved one, keeps the money in your hands until your death. In Thailand, joint accounts work great, keeping the passbook yourself in a place unlikely to be found. A death letter or last gasp revelation of the wereabouts of the passbook works. A death letter to your overseas loved one and intrusted to your Thai, will handle the surrender of the debit card.Likewise, giving the passbook to a friend of yours with instructions to turn it over upon your death might work as well if you don't think you can get the last word before you expire.

[Limbo]

If there's a lot of money involved and there are contentious issues and/or claims, a decent legal advisor is a must.

The Thai lawyers office of the gentleman, his fathers choice since many years, is handling the case and the Bangkok office of one of the worlds bigger ones is actively monitoring the case from a discrete background position.

I'll keep you informed, but it could take a very, very long time.

[warriors]

I stand corrected if I am wrong but I tought the maximum you could withdraw with such a card a day was 20,000 baht if so it will take agers to emty say 500000 do you have the time and wish to be in thailand that long to get the money left to you in the will.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I stand corrected if I am wrong but I tought the maximum you could withdraw with such a card a day was 20,000 baht if so it will take agers to emty say 500000 do you have the time and wish to be in thailand that long to get the money left to you in the will.

Taking it out abroad avoids that problem. That's also easy to do.

[astral]

If you have a gold card you can withdraw 50K a day,

so half a mill would take 10 days.

[warriors]

hmmm thanks never botherd to get money out of my thai bank when i my home country must try first to see if it gives me the balance in NZ $ if it does then I am fine to give number to the person involved if I jump out of a 22nd floor window when I have heaps of money but the police say i wa worried over my money problems as I cut myself in half on the fence on impact.

[sas_cars]

I stand corrected if I am wrong but I tought the maximum you could withdraw with such a card a day was 20,000 baht if so it will take agers to emty say 500000 do you have the time and wish to be in thailand that long to get the money left to you in the will.

If it's an SCB ATM card,You can withdraw 200,000 per day.Just 2 and a half days to empty the money.

[Limbo]

I stand corrected if I am wrong but I tought the maximum you could withdraw with such a card a day was 20,000 baht if so it will take agers to emty say 500000 do you have the time and wish to be in thailand that long to get the money left to you in the will.

If it's an SCB ATM card,You can withdraw 200,000 per day.Just 2 and a half days to empty the money.

Absolutely, with a PDT-AOW card it is even the double. But where are you going to stall it?

[Limbo]

I stand corrected if I am wrong but I tought the maximum you could withdraw with such a card a day was 20,000 baht if so it will take agers to emty say 500000 do you have the time and wish to be in thailand that long to get the money left to you in the will.

If it's an SCB ATM card,You can withdraw 200,000 per day.Just 2 and a half days to empty the money.

Absolutely, with a PDT-AOW card it is even the double. But where are you going to stall it?

I mean after you kicked the bucket of course.

[everybody knows]

Oh dear I did not realise what I had started here. There are no children There is about 40000 BAHT in the account. I will advise her to bring the will but not too be to hopeful. Thank you everyone for your time and trouble.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Oh dear I did not realise what I had started here. There are no children There is about 40000 BAHT in the account. I will advise her to bring the will but not too be to hopeful. Thank you everyone for your time and trouble.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's a lot of fuss over $US1000 isn't it ?

[everybody knows]

Yes I agree but his wife would just like to withdraw it and give it to a charity here in Thailand rather than leave it doing nothing in a Thai Bank.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Yes I agree but his wife would just like to withdraw it and give it to a charity here in Thailand rather than leave it doing nothing in a Thai Bank.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Enlist the help of her proposed charity. Something like the highly respected Sai Jai Thai Society is under Royal patronage so that'll accelerate the process and thwart any local, or other ambitions to circumvent the will.