Changing Marriage Contract.

[coalminer]

When I married with my Thai girlfriend, I had left all my belongings abroad and I had no intention to buy in Thailand agan a lot of goods.

So, I married with my girlfriend without making a "marriage contract".

I purchased some items for the household that were necessary, but nothing real expensive.

But I have decided to buy a car and want to avoid that it would be for the half to my wife.

Just in case she or I would divorce some day.

Is it possible to make a LEGAL marriage contract AFTER the marriage?

TIA

[Mario2008]

As far as I know that is not possible, but a good lawyer might know some tricks to keep expensive possessions in your own hands.

[givenall]

As far as I know that is not possible, but a good lawyer might know some tricks to keep expensive possessions in your own hands.

Why stay married. One thing for sure is that the court most often rules for the Thai citizen. Keep this mind whenever you bring any money to Thailand

[geordie]

Get a lawyer to write out a divorce contract that both you and your wife agree on. I did and it worked when we divorced.

Sorry should have said divorce agreement.

[coalminer]

Get a lawyer to write out a divorce contract that both you and your wife agree on. I did and it worked when we divorced.

Sorry should have said divorce agreement.

Never heard of such a thing as an "Divorce Agreement", but sounds good.

What is a "Divorce Agreement"?

Do you need to "divorce" also or can both partners sgn such an agreement without being dvorced?

[Latindancer]

Just to clarify matters, are you saying that you went through the Buddhist ceremony, but did not register it with the local amphur ?

If this is the case, the question should be "is the wife entitled in this case to half of my assets ? And if so, can a legal contract / pre-nuptual be drawn up prior to the registration at the amphur ? "

[coalminer]

Just to clarify matters:

Just to clarify matters, are you saying that you went through the Buddhist ceremony, but did not register it with the local amphur ?

We did the Buddhist ceremony and did a full wedding/mariage ceremony with registrering at the local amphur.

If this is the case, the question should be "is the wife entitled in this case to half of my assets ?

My wife is legaly entitled to half of our assets which have been acquired AFTER the wedding/marriage as there is no marriage contract specifying a separation of goods.

And if so, can a legal contract / pre-nuptual be drawn up prior to the registration at the amphur ? "

Yes it can.

Anybody can make a legal wedding/marriage contract in which is specified if the partners wish to be married with or without separation of goods.

[simon43]

It's actually a very importantb point that Coalminer raises.

If you are legally (ie amphur) married, under Thai law (AFAIK), anything obtained after marriage is the joint property of you and your partner. If you divorce, then he/she will have a valid claim on half of your assets that were acquired after marriage.

This would cover not just capital assets, such as car, motorbike, house, but also business assets, such as the profits from a business that you may have started after marriage, even though your partner is not a shareholder/partner in that business.

Example: I'm legally married and start up a UK registered software company. It does very well with good profits. Some years down the road, I get divorced from my Thai wife. Even though she played no part in the running of the computer business, she has a valid claim for half of the profits that I earn from this business. If I sell the business, she has a valid claim for 50% of the profits that I receive from selling my business.

Is my understanding correct?

Simon

[geordie]

Get a lawyer to write out a divorce contract that both you and your wife agree on. I did and it worked when we divorced.

Sorry should have said divorce agreement.

Never heard of such a thing as an "Divorce Agreement", but sounds good.

What is a "Divorce Agreement"?

Do you need to "divorce" also or can both partners sgn such an agreement without being dvorced?

We wrote the divorce agreement out, before we had any idea we would divorce, ie who would have what car and the property. We also stated that the parcel of land that we had aquired after the marraige which was in my wife's name would solely go into my daughters name. When we went to the amphor with the lawyers, they would not give us the divorce until we went next door to the land office and transfered the land title into my daughters name, my daughter was 4 years old at the time.We then went back next door with the land title in my daughters name, they then divorced us.

Divorce agreements can be done and do work.