Never easy but inevitable - just a thought.

[BlackJack]

I can assure you there are no hard fast rules and no flat fees. Particularly if it is international and if the deceased had no family here to take care of things.

In the Western World there is a separation between hospital, police, morgue, funeral service and the legals. But here it all blurs together. I suppose it has to do with costs, culture, religion and how its been done before.

The OP was about the Thai woman left behind to sort the mess. So what if you had no one left to sort the mess?

I would advise anyone thats interested to:

1. have a living Will - meaning that you're not going to be put on life support or life sustaining drugs that only serve to empty out your bank account - most hospitals dont like them but they are legal and binding

2. have a Last Will - make sure that you stipulate that assets in one country don't interfere with another country ie that all costs for the burial and any debts be take from my UK Will, when the person died in Thailand

3. state where you will be buried or cremated and where the funds will come from to cover this. MOST important

4. state if some ashes need to be repatriated - the ashes repatriated are normally 2 kgs plus the specially approved transit urn 3kgs = 5kgs

5. DONT put your friend down as the Executor as its a load of work - sorry 20K baht will not cover it - let alone the court/lawyer fee

6. Keep records of everything you do as you need to be reimbursed after granted probate

7. the Will and your Executor have to go to court and the judge has to appoint the Executor

8. So it helps if you present to the court the paperwork in Thai

9. After appointed Executor then the real work begins

10. But after death Family and friends need to be contacted (phone, email, skype etc., paperwork for house or condo needs to be sorted (if its a house in a company name then let the games begin), internet cut off, phone, cable - cut off - bank accounts stopped in case someone cleans them out, everything checked and cut off

11. Autopsy needs to be done (yes its true) 3-5 day round trip to BKK

12. All bills need to be paid, bonds repaid, etc.

13. there are another 100 things but i think you get the picture

You see in Thailand the family normally takes care of things with the police, hospital, temple, cremation, ceremony, cleaning, food, flowers, etc

But most foreigners think that you just ring up the funeral parlour and they take care of things. Well, this is wrong.

Embassy need to be informed.

Passports need to be returned and canceled.

Bank accounts need to be looked at for automatic deductions etc.

In 2-3 months the court will appoint Executor - that is if there are no challenges! Then its more work.

So the Executor is in Thailand and some assets are in another country - What then???

My advice is to think very carefully about this and make sure your house is in order before you check out.

[HUAHIN62]

Good post. What we did was to draw up a combined will in English and Thai. My brother who is still living in my country of birth is one administrator and our laywer the other. This way the one can deal with affairs in my country of birth and the other here. All our assets is listed in an annexure to the will, as we buy and sell assets or re-invest money we change the annexure and have it signed and it then replace the old annexure (both administrators gets a new copy). Remember the devil is in the detail.

[star kicker]

educate your partner, have your affairs organised and make someone you trust and can rely on executor of your will/estate. this way most of the hassle will be taken out of your partners hands.

[Crazy chef 1]

I'm surprised you're surprised, OP.

The fact is many just don't give a crap. They came here for purely self-centered reasons with no intention of making any Thai's life any better to be served/treated like a prince by the little brown people, and to be serviced sexually by their women - and will leave with the same self-centered, ignorant, Euro/US-centric colonial attitude.

Said farangs take a maid with benefits (girlfriend/wife), and continue to berate and complain at all things Thai until they die.

Why should they care? If the dog was born in the barn, the dog should sleep in the barn for life, right?

quiet harsh but too often the truth.good post as well.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I am an American so I am looking at that time from a US point of view, but the philosophy is the same. At age 59, I am not ready to check out yet, but you never know what can happen. I have set up a will, with my younger brother designated as my executor. I have also given him power of attorney over my affairs, in the event of I am unable to direct my own financial affairs. All of this was put in place by an attorney in the US, and a corresponding will is registered in Thailand. 90% of my assets, excluding the house (which is in my wife's name anyway) are in the form of a revocable trust, and will go to my wife, the balance to my sister. My brother and I have gone over the will, and he understands my intention is to insure my wife is relieved of this chore at my death, and is taken care of financially after I am gone. My brother and his wife know my wife well, and will insure that my wife has immediate cash to maintain her lifestyle while the will is in probate. My brother will arrange for Social Security spousal benefits as well. Since my wife is younger than I, this has been a concern for me. By getting my affairs in place now, I do not have to worry when the time comes. If you care about your spouse, it is the least you can do. My wife is college educated, and quite intelligent, and is more than capable of managing her financial affairs, once the problems of dealing with the US laws and regulations are done. The point may be moot, as my wife swears I will outlive her. Who knows?

I was under the impression, that as an American, you cannot will any assets inside America to foreign nationals.

You need to consult an American lawyer, currently working in America for current legislation (not your brother).

I may be totally wrong of course.

Edited May 28, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[landslide]

I am an American so I am looking at that time from a US point of view, but the philosophy is the same. At age 59, I am not ready to check out yet, but you never know what can happen. I have set up a will, with my younger brother designated as my executor. I have also given him power of attorney over my affairs, in the event of I am unable to direct my own financial affairs. All of this was put in place by an attorney in the US, and a corresponding will is registered in Thailand. 90% of my assets, excluding the house (which is in my wife's name anyway) are in the form of a revocable trust, and will go to my wife, the balance to my sister. My brother and I have gone over the will, and he understands my intention is to insure my wife is relieved of this chore at my death, and is taken care of financially after I am gone. My brother and his wife know my wife well, and will insure that my wife has immediate cash to maintain her lifestyle while the will is in probate. My brother will arrange for Social Security spousal benefits as well. Since my wife is younger than I, this has been a concern for me. By getting my affairs in place now, I do not have to worry when the time comes. If you care about your spouse, it is the least you can do. My wife is educated, and quite intelligent, and is more than capable of managing her financial affairs, once the problems of dealing with the US laws and regulations are done. The point may be moot, as my wife swears I will outlive her. Who knows?

I was under the impression, that as an American, you cannot will any assets inside America to foreign nationals.

You need to consult an American lawyer, currently working in America for current legislation (not your brother).

I may be totally wrong of course.

The will was drawn up by my attorney in the USA. A corresponding will was completed by an attorney in Thailand. My wife is a legal US resident (with Green Card and Social Security number), and we spend most of each year in the US. Full time residency in Thailand is a couple of years away. My brother is only the executor, and is someone I trust to help my wife navigate the US system, though my wife reads, writes and speaks english fine.

[Greg Nixon]

When I am dead, I won't care what happens. If it is money people are scrambling for let them chase the crumbs. I love my Thai wife. I love everyone but who helps me gather the money in this life ? If this sounds selfish, it is. I will make appropriate plans at the appropriate moment. my parents are 92 and 90 and they planned their funerals this past year. Was it too late ? Circumstances change and sometimes it is better to wait. Sudden death ? Oh well. My brothers and I would have planned the funerals. Small bother.

In Thailand it is dangerous to reveal too much especially to a wife who is younger than you. In Thailand it is dangerous for foreigners to bring too much money here. Leave large sums in your native land. I let my wife know how much she can expect me to bring to the family providing I stay healthy. If I am dead bupkiss.

This should take care of all the bad circumstances that could occur due to nefarious plans of deceptive Thais.

[rijb]

Don't forget your digital afterlife... http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-05-28/how-to-protect-your-digital-afterlife

[kinmaew]

Bottom line why should any Thai national get anything from a "Farang" government and their taxpayers when the Thai government gives not a rats about us and we get $0 from Thai government no matter what happens.

[BlackJack]

When I am dead, I won't care what happens. If it is money people are scrambling for let them chase the crumbs. I love my Thai wife. I love everyone but who helps me gather the money in this life ? If this sounds selfish, it is. I will make appropriate plans at the appropriate moment. my parents are 92 and 90 and they planned their funerals this past year. Was it too late ? Circumstances change and sometimes it is better to wait. Sudden death ? Oh well. My brothers and I would have planned the funerals. Small bother.

In Thailand it is dangerous to reveal too much especially to a wife who is younger than you. In Thailand it is dangerous for foreigners to bring too much money here. Leave large sums in your native land. I let my wife know how much she can expect me to bring to the family providing I stay healthy. If I am dead bupkiss.

This should take care of all the bad circumstances that could occur due to nefarious plans of deceptive Thais.

If we could all be so certain of the timing of death that would make things a lot easier.

If you live in Thailand then the chances of you dying in all the top ten ways increases dramatically.

What I tried to point out in my post is that there is a a LOT of work to do - even with a proper Will in place and an Executor that knows what they are doing.

To leave your affairs in disarray and pass the problem to someone else will most probably see your assets go to someone not deserving.

I worked and studied hard to get where I am. Therefore I choose to give my assets to someone that deserves them.

Over 50% of Americans dont make a Will and so the Lawyers make a killing. Thats the ones in the USA. But what about if you live in another country?