My Death Certificate

[ThaiLife]

I am in the process of sorting out what my Thai wife would have to do in the event of my death, with regards to our Uk bank account. one of the requirements that the Uk bank wants , to allow my wife to have access or close an account ,would be my death certificate . Has any one experience of how to obtain a death certificate for a Uk National who died here here in Thailand, or any other related advice, Thanks.

[Boater]

the british embassey will obtain this for you

boater

[grantbkk]

I am in the process of sorting out what my Thai wife would have to do in the event of my death, with regards to our Uk bank account. one of the requirements that the Uk bank wants , to allow my wife to have access or close an account ,would be my death certificate . Has any one experience of how to obtain a death certificate for a Uk National who died here here in Thailand, or any other related advice, Thanks.

The next time you're near Khao San Road you can pick one up from a vendor.

[ThaiLife]

the british embassey will obtain this for you

boater

Thanks, it looks like the British Embassy can issue a Certified Copy of a death certificate , but they require the original death certificate, which is the one I am talking about, how my wife would get this .?

http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for...if-someone-dies

[Boater]

when you are prononced dead, the hospital or doctor in thailand that prononced you dead will issue your wife with this certificate

boater

[harrry]

I understand that when a foreigner dies in Thailand the Police are allways called. They contact the foreigners embassy and I understand the death certificate would be obtained by them from the doctor. I presume they can provide your wife with a copy.

I hope this information is well out of date by the time she gets it.

It may be an idea as this is so important that you contact the embassy and ask them for the procedure.

Edited May 7, 2009 by harrry

[ThaiLife]

Thanks, who knows whats around the corner , but I feel is the right thing to do to sort things out now, and hopfully make things for my family a bit less stressful , after ive departed .

[robblok]

I do like your way of thinking though. To make sure everything is taken care off. I am lucky that my wife has a good relationship with my family. (so they will help her if its needed). I am just not planning on dying soon.

[ThaiLife]

I do like your way of thinking though. To make sure everything is taken care off. I am lucky that my wife has a good relationship with my family. (so they will help her if its needed). I am just not planning on dying soon.

I know just what you mean, but, and there's always a but, You never know when old Somchai will fall asleep at the wheel , and then those immortal worlds will haunt you ... I should have Done.

[ubonjoe]

Info on registering a death at the Amphoe: http://www.dopa.go.th/English/servi/dead.htm

If you don't die in a hospital it is a bit more complicated. If in a village (moo) a form is filled out and the village head man signs it along with the doctor that is part the sub district administration. Not sure how it is done in a Municipality.

[h90]

I don't have any experience yet, but will post after I received mine.

[Maizefarmer]

the british embassey will obtain this for you

boater

Thanks, it looks like the British Embassy can issue a Certified Copy of a death certificate , but they require the original death certificate, which is the one I am talking about, how my wife would get this .?

http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for...if-someone-dies

Baht 10K - just to get a piece of paper to confirm I'm dead...... any oppurtunity to make a quick buck from someone else misfortune!

[scorecard]

My comment:

- Why not ring the British Embassy and get an answer 'striaght from the horses mouth'.

With all respect to other people who are trying to be helpful, I have found many times that the 'heresay' or 'common belief' is not the correct answer and sometimes dangerous.

Example: I'm aware of a farang who got hold of a 'standard will' form and filled it in. He died, his wife tried to use the will to gain control of his assets etc., and then discovered that the wll contained appraoches which are in fact illegal.

Her deceased husbands money and assets still sit in legal limbo today. She occupies the luxury house he built but can never get a land title in her own name. She survives by selling noodles, well aware that there is a very large amount of money she will never be able to access.

When I went to my lawyer (in Bangkok) to make a will I prepared a draft to use to start the discussion with the lawyer. Again and again my lawyer commented "I know what your trying to achieve, but the appraoch you've indicated is either illegal or will incur complex additional documents, etc, etc" However, for all of the matters I wanted covered in my will the lawyer had alternative approaches which were within the law, etc.

My lawyer mentioned that he's aware that many farang assume that the wife, children etc., can just take the will and a death certificate to a bank or the Lands Titles Office then everything will go ahead immediately.

This is not true. Your will, made in Thailand / covering thai bank accounts / company shareholdings in Thailand / land titles in Thailand etc., has to be processed through the appropriate Thai court and then the court will issue a Court Order. Now your wife etc., can proceed to the bank, companies office, lands titles ofices etc., and get the various transfers completed.

- Are you assuming that the bank in UK will release funds to your wife if she produces a death certificate? I'm not strong on UK laws etc., but in many countries bank accounts of the deceased are frozen, by law, whilst probate and taxation finalization occurs.

But maybe (country by country) this might work if the bank account is already set up as a joint account with 'anybody can sign -only one signature needed).

Another point worth some checking is the idea of Power of Attorney over your bank accounts (but this needs careful checking, country by country. For example, it's possible, in many countries, that the Power of Attorney (POA) could be legally used (if that's what the Power of Attorney document actually scovers) by the person nominated in the POA, to transfer the funds out of the original account. On the other hand, maybe it's possible in some countries that all POA are automatically cancelled (by law) on the death of the POA giver.

My ultimate point is, please don't ASSUME that you've got the correct answers to these matters.

[ThaiLife]

Thanks for your comments, The Uk bank account in question is a joint account , with any one signature can access the account

but the bank still will want to the the original death certificate ( Translated and certified ) to allow my wife access / close it on my death.

[denboy]

Regarding Death certicate, My English Friend died here in Late 2007. Death certificates here are issued via the police/doctor hospital. The original will be in Thai, You have to travel to The British embassy in Bangkok and they will make a English version, if you think you will need further copies do that whilst you are there and have them noterised by an embassy official. The English version will probable be subject to probate in the UK for any assests which can take several months.

That account is factual.

I have an English will for my uk assests via a uk lawyer for disbusement to my children.

I also have a Thai will for assests in Thailand for my Thai partner. I think scorecard is wrong or my Thai lawyer is wrong on one count. I am assured that my Thai partener can withdraw monies from my Thai bank on production of the Thai death certificate and the noterised will.

I welcome any factual comments on that issue.

[ThaiLife]

Regarding Death certicate, My English Friend died here in Late 2007. Death certificates here are issued via the police/doctor hospital. The original will be in Thai, You have to travel to The British embassy in Bangkok and they will make a English version, if you think you will need further copies do that whilst you are there and have them noterised by an embassy official. The English version will probable be subject to probate in the UK for any assests which can take several months.

That account is factual.

I have an English will for my uk assests via a uk lawyer for disbusement to my children.

I also have a Thai will for assests in Thailand for my Thai partner. I think scorecard is wrong or my Thai lawyer is wrong on one count. I am assured that my Thai partener can withdraw monies from my Thai bank on production of the Thai death certificate and the noterised will.

I welcome any factual comments on that issue.

Hi, I had forgotton about my wife being to access any money in my Thai Bank account ( my name only ) , and only thinking of the UK one.

[F1fanatic]

I've only been here 3 years but already I know 2 Thai women whose farang husbands have died. They had no problems getting the money.

I suspect you're assuming its far more difficult than it is for your wife to get your money!

[ThaiLife]

Hi, I know it will be relative easy for my wife to get my money in Thailand, but its the accessing of the money thats in our joint account in the Uk, that may cause my family some headaches , so I really want to make it as easy for her to have what she is entitled to as my wife , when ive gone .

[bojo]

My Thai accountant told me that in Thailand, even without a will made, one's wife will receive/can access/is entitled to ( I forget the exact wording) any funds in any Thai Bank account. He was referring to Thai nationals and I don't have any information as to whether the same applies to foreigners. Sorry.

Regards Bojo

[F1fanatic]

Hi, I know it will be relative easy for my wife to get my money in Thailand, but its the accessing of the money thats in our joint account in the Uk, that may cause my family some headaches , so I really want to make it as easy for her to have what she is entitled to as my wife , when ive gone .

If its a joint account it will be v easy for her to get the money on your death.

You really are trying to complicate everything - she will have no problems at all.

Are you expecting problems from your UK family?

[BigSnake]

I am in the process of sorting out what my Thai wife would have to do in the event of my death, with regards to our Uk bank account. one of the requirements that the Uk bank wants , to allow my wife to have access or close an account ,would be my death certificate . Has any one experience of how to obtain a death certificate for a Uk National who died here here in Thailand, or any other related advice, Thanks.

Never say Die

[ThaiLife]

Hi, I know it will be relative easy for my wife to get my money in Thailand, but its the accessing of the money thats in our joint account in the Uk, that may cause my family some headaches , so I really want to make it as easy for her to have what she is entitled to as my wife , when ive gone .

If its a joint account it will be v easy for her to get the money on your death.

You really are trying to complicate everything - she will have no problems at all.

Are you expecting problems from your UK family?

Hi, I do not have any family in the Uk, so no problems there, and as for .......

[ You really are trying to complicate everything - she will have no problems at all ]

Even I have problems with living here , and trying to sort out things with our Uk bank

[Livinginexile]

Thanks, who knows whats around the corner , but I feel is the right thing to do to sort things out now, and hopfully make things for my family a bit less stressful , after ive departed .

And have you sorted out what YOU get in the event of your wife's death?

Not part of the equation is it?

[Livinginexile]

Thanks, who knows whats around the corner , but I feel is the right thing to do to sort things out now, and hopfully make things for my family a bit less stressful , after ive departed .

And have you sorted out what YOU get in the event of your wife's death?

Not part of the equation is it?

I can just imagine the look on her face when the question is asked:

Question 1 "Darling can you sign these papers please? It says in the event of your death I get everything" Reaction, look of stuned silence.

Question 2 "Darling can you sign these papers please? It says in the event of my death you get everything" Reaction, "Oh teerak you so jai dee, love you mak mak"

[ThaiLife]

Thanks, who knows whats around the corner , but I feel is the right thing to do to sort things out now, and hopfully make things for my family a bit less stressful , after ive departed .

And have you sorted out what YOU get in the event of your wife's death?

Not part of the equation is it?

My wife really has nothing to give, but her love, kindness and just being a nice person to be married to.So should she die before me, its not what I will get from her, but what ive lost, and her not being there for me and the children would be a big loss indeed .

[Livinginexile]

Thanks, who knows whats around the corner , but I feel is the right thing to do to sort things out now, and hopfully make things for my family a bit less stressful , after ive departed .

And have you sorted out what YOU get in the event of your wife's death?

Not part of the equation is it?

My wife really has nothing to give, but her love, kindness and just being a nice person to be married to.So should she die before me, its not what I will get from her, but what ive lost, and her not being there for me and the children would be a big loss indeed .

Oh really?

Have you not accumulated joint assets since you were married? either in Thailand or at home?

What would happen to those assets if she dies? straight to her family?

I believe relationship should be 50/50. Do you agree?

[ThaiLife]

Thanks, who knows whats around the corner , but I feel is the right thing to do to sort things out now, and hopfully make things for my family a bit less stressful , after ive departed .

And have you sorted out what YOU get in the event of your wife's death?

Not part of the equation is it?

My wife really has nothing to give, but her love, kindness and just being a nice person to be married to.So should she die before me, its not what I will get from her, but what ive lost, and her not being there for me and the children would be a big loss indeed .

Oh really?

Have you not accumulated joint assets since you were married? either in Thailand or at home?

What would happen to those assets if she dies? straight to her family?

I believe relationship should be 50/50. Do you agree?

I do really agree with you, we have accumulated some assits in all the years we have been living here, when I first met my wife , she really had very little in the way of possessions , coming from a very rural working background . As for the assets going stright to her family when I die, thats some thing I can live with ( no pun intended ) all her family have treated me in kind and decent way, that I cannot fault. So it will be her decision what to do with the assets when ive gone, in my my mind she has given me and the children far more in being a good wife and mother than I could ever give in the way of possessions or money .

[Bill97]

Thanks for your comments, The Uk bank account in question is a joint account , with any one signature can access the account

but the bank still will want to the the original death certificate ( Translated and certified ) to allow my wife access / close it on my death.

Have your wife alone make a withdrawal from your joint account now. If that goes through without your assistance, then she should be able to do the same after you die. Have her make all the withdrawals you need to establish the pattern with the bank. If you do not need withdrawals, have her make them anyway and redeposit them later. The bank has no way to know you have died and they are legally required to honor her withdrawal from a joint account with her name on it, aren't they?

[Bosse137]

One aspect nobody mentioned,when talking about wifes (or gf) withdrawing money after husbands/bf death;if he has children/family in his homecountry,isn`t it illigal to withdraw money,which,by law,rightfully is part of their inheritance??! Whether the money is in joint account or not,wether they are in Thai bank or foreign bank.Related qestion:Do wife/gf have any obligation to report the death to the deceased family in his country? I guess it could spell big trouble

if she not reports and just go on using the money and later,the family finds out about it...

[Bosse137]

I forgot to say:The law in many countries overide testament;you are not allowed to testament everything away.Perhaps in Thailand,it can be done,I think so,but certainly not with assets,that stay in the homecountry and probably not with assets,wherever they are,if they are known to the authorities in the home country