Hi There,

My best friend has died recently in Thailand and I would like to find out if anyone knows what way his assets will be divided.

Now he has been married to a Thai girl for two years and he has three children from a previuos marriage in the UK. I know he hasn't made a will. I have heard that his Thai wife wants everything house and new car. She has moved all her family into the house and has been to see a lawyer about putting the house in her name or selling.The house is in a company name and the car is in his own name.

As I see it, as no will has been made the assets will be sold and then spolit between the next of kin(wife and three children) although she is being advised by people that it is now hers.

I have also spoke to his ex wife from the UK and she has told me she would like the house divided between all four. I don't think she is being unfair (unlike the Thai wife who had nothing before they met).

Could someone please help with this problem.

Kind Regards

a) your friends family need to hire a lawyer. And I mean right now.

b.) most likely they are SOL due to him not making a will.

Poor planning on his part.

c) or I'd actually have put it down as a) Sorry to hear about the passing away of your friend.

First of all I am sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, then I will add to the suggestion by dotcom that your friends family need to seek urgent legal advice.

My understanding, from another forum, and I am not a lawyer, that in the event of somebody dieing without making a will the property will go to the children of the deceased, before the wife.

There are a few caveats, it will be difficult to get rid of the wife and her family who will be consolidating their new found assets, and of course the children, presuming they are not Thai, will not be able to own the house and land.

sorry about your pal , but ....

his Thai wife wants everything house and new car. She has moved all her family into the house and has been to see a lawyer about putting the house in her name or selling.

.........

My condolences on your loss.

50% to wife and 50% to kids I was told.

Check with a Bkk lawyer who specializes in Thai estate laws.

As for myself, my farang children are already provided for. As for my ex farang wife, I would roll over in my grave if she even got a sniff of what I want my Thai wife to have. Most divorced farang wives have already skinned their ex husbands and deserve nothing more. Perhaps not all but my ex certainly deserves nothing more.

As for myself, my farang children are already provided for. As for my ex farang wife, I would roll over in my grave if she even got a sniff of what I want my Thai wife to have. Most divorced farang wives have already skinned their ex husbands and deserve nothing more. Perhaps not all but my ex certainly deserves nothing more.

Ditto.

I'm sorry for your loss but it would have been easier if he made 2 wills. One for his UK assets and one for the Thai with x references to both. (Two wills- One based on UK law and one based on Thai law.)

I honestly can't see his children getting hold of any of the Thai assets without a long messy court battle especially if the TW and her family digs in.

AND. It could be a long drawn out affair for you as a middle man. Do you want to be there?

EDIT Clarification

Am I the only one who is wondering whether the Thai wife might have had a hand in your friend's death - given that she is so quick to try to grab the assets - and given that you described her as "girl" - while he has three children from his former marriage, suggesting that there might have been a significant age gap between the couple? Just a suspicion.

Sent you a PM that provides you with some info.

Just a suspicion.

Based on absolutely nothing. Outrageous.

Am I the only one who is wondering whether the Thai wife might have had a hand in your friend's death -

It would appear so, but don't worry, give it time you wont be lonely..

Well they are in UK and Thai wife is in thailand where assets are located, I'm going to say it will be hard to get any monetary compensation when not in country.

Sorry about your lost but I think the assets in Thailand will stay in Thailand and be divided to the wife in Thailand and his children if any in Thailand. Now his assets in UK I think will be given to his children in U.K.

A few years ago a colleague’s Thai wife died in a motorbike accident. She had no will. There were no children from the marriage. He owned a house on 30 year lease.

Her family immediately took over the house and claimed it as their own. After many threats from her family and a court battle for ownership, he lost the house.

Sadly he then married a friend of his deceased wife and died early this year from injuries received from a suspicious fall while on holidays in Thailand.

Despite his new wife trying to claim his assets, his parents received all out of Thailand assets and insurance. It’s believed he had no assets in Thailand.

sorry about your pal , but ....

his Thai wife wants everything house and new car. She has moved all her family into the house and has been to see a lawyer about putting the house in her name or selling.

.........

is this some kind of joke?

Yes, it is SOME kind. Not necessarily the kind you (or I) enjoy.

BFD!

Hi There,

My best friend has died recently in Thailand and I would like to find out if anyone knows what way his assets will be divided.

Now he has been married to a Thai girl for two years and he has three children from a previuos marriage in the UK. I know he hasn't made a will. I have heard that his Thai wife wants everything house and new car.

For people who die intestate in Thailand there is a specific formula on how the assets will be divided. The spouse gets 50% and the rest is divided equally between close relatives (parents, children, siblings, etc). See here.

From what I've read elsewhere, if those relatives are overseas they have to come to Thailand, hire a lawyer, petition the court, etc, which is expensive and complicated. See here.

Moving this to the subranch of the forum frequently used by members who may be most knowledgable about property inheritance issues.

50% to wife and 50% to kids I was told.

Check with a Bkk lawyer who specializes in Thai estate laws.

This situation will become more and more prevalent.

Some lawyers can make a good money off it.