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Inheritance Law in Thailand: Tax, Heirs, Wills & Probate – Who Gets Their Paws on Your Cash?

Thailand recently finalised its new inheritance tax law, and if you're lucky enough to have amassed a fortune of over 100 million Baht (approx $3M), in the Kingdom, then your estate will be unlucky enough to be caught in Thailand's inheritance tax threshold.

But what if your wife goes first? Do you benefit from her estate? And what of single guys and girls who hold assets such as condos and cars in Thailand, who gets their greedy paws on those when you buy your farm in the sky?

Yup, not many people know where they stand on such matters. So in this post I'll explore not just the new inheritance tax law, but also what happens to your assets if you die in Thailand, and where you stand to inherit if your wife or partner goes before you do.

thailand inheritance tax

Image credit: Newsish.com

Who Pays Inheritance Tax in Thailand?

Unless you're sitting on $3m of money earned in Thailand, then your assets won't be subject to IHT. If you are, your heirs will pay 5 or 10 percent, depending on their relationship to you, on anything over that amount

The law states:

The inheritance tax is 5 per cent for ascendants or descendants and 10 per cent for others. It is levied on assets worth above Bt100 million.

IHT is levied on heirs who are either individuals or Thai juristic persons. It is also applied to non-Thai nationals who are resident in Thailand according to the immigration law, and non-Thais inheriting assets located in Thailand.

This means that your Thai wife, or full or half Thai child, will pay IHT on your estate if it meets the threshold.

But really, who has this kind of wealth in Thailand, you might ask. Many more than people tend to think. Wealthy Thais are usually far wealthier than their European and American counterparts, and as such the government expects to collect 3 Billion Baht per year at the 5 percent rate.

Gift / Personal Income Exemptions

Like most countries, to counter possible avoidance of inheritance tax, a gift tax was also introduced by way of amending the types of tax-exempt income in the Thai Revenue Code.

The types of income exempt from personal income tax include income derived from maintenance, income derived under moral obligation, inheritance, or a gift received in a ceremony or on other occasions in accordance with established custom.

The law will only exempt the following types of income from personal income tax:

The portion of inheritance income not exceeding 100 million Baht under Section 12 of the Inheritance Tax Act.

Income derived from the transfer of ownership or possessory right in an immovable property without consideration by the parent to a legitimate, non-adopted child, only for the portion not exceeding 20 million Baht per tax year.

Income derived from maintenance or a gift from ascendants, descendants or a spouse, only for the portion not exceeding 20 million Baht per tax year.

Income derived from maintenance under moral purposes, or a gift received in a ceremony or on occasions in accordance with custom and tradition from persons who are not ascendants, descendants or a spouse, only for the portion not exceeding 10 million Baht per tax year.

Income from gifts received for use for religious, educational or public purposes according to the rules and conditions under a ministerial regulation (yet to be issued).

Yes, I'm sure you can see how a bunch of rich folks will find loopholes here and pay diddly squat. At which point the threshold will no doubt be lowered to scoop up those on moderate incomes.

Thanks to Benjamas Kullakattimas, Head of Tax, KPMG Thailand, for providing the English interpretations of  the above list.

OK, But Aside From The Legal Jargon, What Happens to My Assets by Default When I Die in Thailand?

Single guys and unmarried guys in relationships might wonder what will become of their condo and Honda click should they bite the bullet. Well the hard and fast truth is, if you have assets in Thailand, you need to make a will.

You should have a will for both your assets in Thailand and any that you hold in your home country. You see, what happens when you die in Thailand is that a government officer requests a copy of a will either from the family or the lawyer of the deceased. So you can't expect the will filed in your home country to cover any property in Thailand. Failing to have a will could result in lengthy, costly probate.

Without a will in Thailand, these assets are the property of your Thai estate and would be subject to Thai inheritance tax if they totalled over the 100 million Baht mark.

For the married, your assets are distributed according to Thai law, and this means that family members are given priority. Half of the estate will automatically be passed to your wife and the rest divided first among children, then to surviving parents, then full-blood brothers and sisters, then half-blood brothers and sisters, then grandparents and finally aunts and uncles.

If you should die with no will, and there is no family or said heirs, then the state has the right to take all your property and sell it as it sees fit. Gasp!

If you have accumulated assets in Thailand that you don't want to end up in the state's purse, then you really should consider making a will in your home country that includes these assets so that your relatives are aware of what you have and who is heir to them, and of course filing a will in Thailand too.

In order to register a will in Thailand and have an executor appointed, you must go to a provincial court. The executor will then get the court’s authority to dispose of the person’s assets in accord with their will. Of course a Thai lawyer can arrange this for you.

Will I Inherit My Wife's Fortune?

If she leaves it to you in her will, then yes. But please do read below about land and property. If she doesn't leave a will, you better get in line because, see that list below, that's you at #7 – bottom of the queue:

In Thailand there are 6 classes of statutory heirs and they are entitled to inherit in the following order:

  1. Descendants
  2. Parents
  3. Brothers and sisters of full blood
  4. Brothers and sisters of half blood
  5. Grandparents
  6. Uncles and aunts
  7. The surviving spouse is a statutory heir, subject to the special provisions of Section 1635 Civil and Commercial Code.

You wife might choose to leave you money, gold, or perhaps her car. But if you expect to inherit these things you'd do well to encourage her to make a will that stipulates exactly what she wants to leave you, and for her to instruct her family of her wishes so there is no dispute.

Family disputes are common in this regard. If family members seize assets after a death, the process for a foreigner getting them back, even with the presence of a will, is a very difficult one. This is certainly something you should think about if you have a child together, because no doubt you'll want your child to inherit your wife's assets.

Can I Inherit My Wife's Land?

Believe it or not, you can inherit your wife's land. If she doesn't make a will that says otherwise, it will be passed to you. But there is a catch, and a pretty huge one at that:

You cannot register ownership of the land because you will not be given permission. You must dispose of the land within a reasonable period (up to 1 year) to a Thai national. If you fail to dispose of the land, the Director-General of the Land Department is authorised to dispose of the land and retain a fee of 5% of the sale price before any deductions or taxes.

Yes, you're probably thinking what I'm thinking. No one is going to give you a decent price for that land once word gets out that your wife has died and you need to offload this land within a year.

Oh, and by the way, if you're living in your wife's house, consider that Thai law sees a house as “always having an interest in the land”, so I'd bag your bags within a year before your mother-in-law kicks you out, hehe.

What About Inheriting My Wife's Condo?

It's almost the same as the deal with land: A foreigner who acquires a condominium unit by inheritance, either as statutory heir or inheritor under will, shall acquire ownership, however, unless the foreigner qualifies for ownership under Section 19 of the Condominium Act, it is required by law that the foreigner shall dispose of the unit within 1 year from the date of acquisition.

The reality is that most foreigners wouldn't qualify. Being retired in Thailand just isn't enough. See below for who qualifies:

inherit land thailand

Image Source: samuiforsale.com/family-law/marriage-property-regime.html

In Summary

The reality is, unless you're pretty wealthy, your estate probably won't meet the threshold for Thailand's inheritance tax. There aren't that many foreigners stupid enough to keep that much wealth in Thailand anyway. But you may well have assets you want to make sure get passed to your wife or your kids, so making a will is a good idea.

The same goes for single people who've accumulated wealth in Thailand. You should make a will back home and in Thailand to cover the event of your death.

Lastly, there's a number of foreigners living in Thailand who live in their wife's house, drive their wife's car, and to a degree live off their wife's income. If you fall into this category then your should definitely speak to your wife about what will happen to her assets if she dies before you, because these will default to her family, in line with the statutory order of heirs outlined earlier in this post.

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Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, and therefore not qualified to give legal advice. This post simply represents my personal interpretation of the law. If you want to make a will, or want legal advice on any matter in Thailand, please contact a qualified lawyer.

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  1. Sarah Petursson says

    Hi there, I wrote as Diana, who commented/asked quetstions on March 12. I would like to thank both Bob and Kelvin for their advice and thoughts and would be very grateful if you could pass on Kelvin's email to me. Many thanks Sarah Petursson
    Reply

  2. Diana says

    My father died in Thailand and had a will, I am one of the executors, but the bank will not release his funds without a court order. I have employed a lawyer to apply for the court order (very costly) and have been told that both the executors have to appear in Court on the date set. I have to travel to Thailand from overseas, so two trips in 4 months is expensive for me. I have now been told that once I have appeared in court, it will be at least another 6 weeks before I can have access to the bank accounts, so I will have to travel back to Thailand again ! How frustrating and costly, do you know why after court it takes so long? Can I not just give written instructions to the bank after the initial court hearing and they transfer the money as instructed when the order is finalised? Do you know of any quicker / cheaper way that I can do this?
    Reply

    • Bob says

      You can give power of attorney to the Thai lawyer to obtain probate on your behalf. He could also access the accounts and send you the money. But try to agree a fixed fee in advance, otherwise he will take you to the cleaners with an hourly charge that will bring tears to your eyes.Contact a few companies and find out a few recommendations from the various expat websites.Yes, it takes that long in Thailand once the legal profession is involved. The Thais tend to just drain the bank accounts and job done.
      Reply

    • Kelvin Bamfield says

      I deal with these issues every day in Pattaya. I am not sure where your father died. Under Thai Law you can submit to the court that you are old, sick, overseas, working and cannot come. Also submit docs like your birth certificate, passport, pictures of you and the father, father mothers ID like their birth certificate, passport, etc. This is to prove your relationship with your father. All these docs should be stamped by a Notary. Sometimes the court wants the docs legalised at the Embassy and Department of Foreign Affairs. You also need to make a Power of Attorney (POA) to have a person in Thailand act on your behalf (Executor). This person goes to court to apply for a Grant of Probate. You need a Lawyer as they make the submission to court and go to court with you or your proxy named in the POA. Also a translator is required. I dont know of any lawyers on an hourly retainer. Submission to get a court date runs approx 3 months, after court hearing and testimony by the Executor the Judge could take up to 30 days to give a court order to start work. When the Executor has the court order and they are approved a period of 15 days is set aside for the Will, Executor to be challenged. If no challenges ok. If challenges then back to court and more fees. After the Executor is empowered by the court they then deal with challenges to the estate by creditors. During this time the Executor should advertise inviting anyone with a claim to come forward. Normally 6 months from start to being able to liquidate the estate - clean out the bank accounts - sell properties, cars, give things away to charity. Should Probate be straight forward it will cost around 2,000 to 2500 USD This cannot be considered expensive and needs to be offset by costs you would incur should you fly to Thailand, rent hotel, taxi, translator, etc etc.Maybe the Mods can give you my email?
      Reply

      • Bob says

        1. If there is a Will, as the OP stated, then there is surely no need to prove any relationship. The benefactor must only prove who they are.2. The translator is only required to translate the Will if no Thai version exists. This is not expensive.3. I have only seen lawyers working on an hourly fee. If they don't, then on what basis are they charging for the work?4. How much would a Thai family pay in the same circumstances? Among the hoi palloi there are very few who could afford that sort of expense to sort out transferring the farmland and pickup to the heirs. And mostly they do not seem to even write Wills, making the whole issue even more complicated.5. To frame the expenses in terms of the cost of travelling does seem to put an unfair emphasis on "the Farang should pay more".I have given my heir an ATM card and the PIN number and instructions to just drain the account.Job done, and no 60,000 Baht fee plus six months messsing around.
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          I'll let Kelvin answer these points as he does this for a living and knows better than me, but in terms of giving an heir an ATM card to drain the account in the event of a death, as far as I'm aware this is illegal and could cause a lot of problems for that person with the bank and potentially the police, and if the estate is contested later down the line. I'm not quite sure how it would work on a joint account, though I assume the account is frozen regardless.
          Reply

          • Bob says

            Hi,I have been told it is a "common" Thai way.There can only be an issue if somebody is around to complain and has a legal case.If my rent is not paid then the landlord can simply chuck the stuff onto the street so he can rent out the property. I don't believe he has any responsibilty to look after it.To charge 60,000 Baht and take six months to access a few hundred thousand Baht in a bank account is ludicrous.My assets are mostly in Singapore.The SG government issues clear guidelines in English how probate functions.There is no dense fog of random "Thai Ways" to deal with....... And pay for.
            Reply

        • Kelvin Bamfield says

          I am running a case now where the Thai Wife drained the account. This money was to go to the children by a proper Will. This is a criminal charge.I have no time to debate points above.All I can say is that I do this every day and it is up to the judge to accept the docs or ask for more docs. You will not know until you go to court. A recent case we had an old girlfriend make a claim in court to be an Executor based on her relationship of 10 years ago! So anything is possible.I also deal with other countries and all have different requirements and taxes.Thailand has 2 laws types - Civil and Criminal - there are variations in between and courts for hearings - ie Arbitration, Supreme, Appeal courtsWhatever you do, do it legally.Make sure you have all the documents in place and make sure you have a good Executor and that they know where to find everything that you own, now and in the future.Meaning a client died and the estate was wrapped up 2 years ago. His grandma died and left him a 25% share in a house.
          Reply

          • Bob says

            Ref : "I dont know of any lawyers on an hourly retainer."I realise that time is money and that you do not want to hand out free advice. However, I would very appreciate it if you could state on which basis a Thai lawyer charges.Thanks.
            Reply

            • Kelvin Bamfield says

              Most law companies like restaurants look at what the other guy is charging = its as simple as that - over time people call around and get the best price - so it is a market supply and demand thing. With some Civil cases running into the millions a success fee can be paid and this is negotiated up front. In many cases the family or Beneficiary for what ever reason may not want to come to Thailand to run the case and so what they save they may give to you as a bonus. Lawyers here cant say so and so is charging x and we can do better than that and our price is Y. In the early days we quoted a price but then realised we had to fly to the province and stay in hotels. This was explained to the clients as incidentals and not the lawyers fee. Everyone was OK with that. I have had insurance co. call me and ask can we do a better price as the Travel Insurance is only X. Yes we can as this is perfect networking. If you have a big case or a class action then of course you would go with the suits and they will charge you accordingly as they have overheads to cover. Many of my clients are referrals as they say oh this guy is a foreigner and speaks English - After customer satisfaction they refer us on. Most foreigners say why so cheap as they are used to paying 500 quid per hour or 500-1000 USD. We own the buildings, cars, etc and so we can be very competitive as we only pay for utilities and staff, gas etc.all the bestSo far so good.
              Reply

  3. leeanne rogers says

    my father died in the uk but leaving a bank account in thailand, he had made a will which we have the original copy, I have had all documents translated as requested by the thai embassy, just after advise or what to do next, he had no wife or children over in thailand.
    Reply

    • Kelvin Bamfield says

      I think i answered this before - the amount in the bank is the question - if its less than 100,000 baht the bank may give it to you on application - if over they usually require a court order - meaning probate to appoint an Executor - takes time and money so work out if its worth it as court and extras could run at 65,000 baht min. Depends what court it is in as the Executor may have to travel etc. so airfares time and hotels Let me know
      Reply

  4. Henny says

    Hi, my husband (Scottish) and I (Indonesian) bought 2 property in Pattaya in 2008 and 2010. In 2011 we separated but never divorced. Soon after I left the country, his Thai girlfriend moved in and within a year she gave birth to his son. 7 years passed, now my husband has passed away and I heard that he has changed one of the property's name into his Thai girlfriend without my knowledge. Can he change it without my consent and signature? And what is my legal right as his legal wife to his assets in Thailand? Thank you.
    Reply

    • Kelvin Bamfield says

      In Thailand there is a Chanote (Title Deed) for the "property" - is this a house? Land? condo in foreign quota? and whos name is on the back of the Chanote? Girl Friend - so not married and not under Sim Sot Lot laws of spouse - so she does not automatically get 50% - however as you are still married then you may have a claim. Child - whos name is on the Birth Certificate? as this has some bearing.Did your husband make a Last Will and Testament?Many questions to ask -
      Reply

      • Henny says

        Hi Thank you for replying... Yes 2 houses in Pattaya and the name is my husband and my name on the title deed as we both signed them when we bought them. I'm not sure about whose name on their children's birth certificate and also I'm not sure whether my husband has changed the will that he made in Scotland when we were still together nor testament...
        Reply

        • Kelvin Bamfield says

          Thai Law states that foreigners cannot own more than 49% of house and land - so there is a problem there as together you and your husband had 49% In order to hold 100% you would have been in possession of a share transfer agreement whereby Thai's hold 51% by proxy. This is possibly how your husband sold one of the properties to the girlfriend Legally you have a claim however you need to get some documents and bank accounts to prove you are the wife and share holder in the house and land. If the only Will is the one from Scotland then you need to get this to see if its legal After several years he may have made a Thai Will. Thailand runs on documents and so if you want to pursue this you need to find these. The mods may give you my contact details and I can assist you in this
          Reply

  5. Gemma says

    My brother is terminally and living with us in uk. His wife lives in Thailand. He has been taken ill while working here and is also in the process of selling his house here in uk. As soon as the sell go through he wants to transfer all the money from to house sell to her in Thailand. What rights do we have?
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Gemma, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. Unfortunately, if he has made a Will and this is his wish then it will be granted; she is his wife, after all. That said, if he hasn't made a Will, she can apply to be the administrator of the Will, see here: https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/if-the-person-didnt-leave-a-willI'm not entirely sure how this works for foreign nationals (non-UK residents) but his marriage would be fully recognised under UK law.
      Reply

      • Kelvin Bamfield says

        if your brother is terminally ill then he may be on medication and therefore incompetent to make any decisions??in any case try to convince him that he should make a Will as now its anyones guess as to what happens.
        Reply

    • Bob says

      None whatsoever.Indeed you have a moral obligation to help your brother carry out his wishes.It is his money and he can do what he wants with it.He plans on giving it to his wife, which sounds very reasonable. Why do you feel you have any entitlement to his estate?
      Reply

  6. Becca56 says

    Hi my father recently passed away in Thailand interstate. My sister and i were there when he died but we were caring for him 24/7 and he died the night before I left. Therefore we had no time for anything else or the energy. His wife had removed all documents from the house before we arrived. His wife has been living separated from my father in another country for over 10 years. She tells us she didn't go through any kind of probate as he had no money in his Thai account, we do not believe this to be the case. She will also not provide us with the chenote for the house. His Thai bank will not give me any information unless through court order and the international Thai solicitors that I have spoken to say they can not help. Is there anything I can do at all? Without going to Thailand?
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      As I understand it, because your father died intestate and was still married, his wife is entitled to 50% of the estate, and you and your sister are entitled to the other 50%.There are lawyers that will take this on for you and indeed ensure that you get your share of the house. However, I'm quite sure you will need to travel to Thailand, particularly if there is a court hearing.Thai888 will hopefully confirm this if he reads this comment.It is quite suspect that she cleared all the documents out of his house. That said, unless his wife had his ATM card and pin, or had a joint signatory account where both parties were able to withdraw money in branch, I can't see how she would have cleared out his bank account - so I wouldn't worry about that too much. And as the bank has rightly said you can't gain access without a court order.
      Reply

      • Kelvin Bamfield says

        It is possible to do a power of attorney so the family doesnt have to appear, but dying intestate has succession and so it depends how many siblings are involved.Also the bank accounts: whose name were they in? His or joint? If she has access via ATM and pin then it's hard to prosecute.Were they legally married in Thailand and registered or another arrangment?House and land and chanote = all hers unless he had some mortgage agreement?Where did this happen - what province?
        Reply

  7. Art Colgain says

    My brother was killed in a motorcycle accident in Thailand. The Thai Embassy called us and I was determined to be his statutory heir and was able to have his body released to his girlfriend in Thailand for burial. Now she is asking for a Power of Attorney as the person who hit my half brother is being charged and I assume she is asking for burial costs. It also covers some security money he paid relating to a bankruptcy case? Just want to know if it's legal for me to sign this Power of Attorney and what it puts me on the hook for. He had no assets to speak of and I hadn't talked to him in years. Thank you.
    Reply

    • thai888 says

      hi the power of attorney would be in Thai language? or at least Thai and English?The POA is for a very specific event ie she maybe claiming insurance costs as most vehicles in Thailand have standard, 3rd part and comprehensive insurance.If you sign the POA then make sure you know what it covers - it should not be open and if there is room there you should state that it is only for the insurance. Insurance normal top payout would be 200,000 to 300,000 baht.You would need to supply a copy of your passport signed as well and on this passport copy you would sign and then write on it for brother "name" accident on "date" onlyWhat are was the accident and where did it go to court?I am based in Thailand for 20 years
      Reply

  8. Jim says

    HiI badly need help , my father died in Pattaya recently , I’m the only child my mum died years ago , I hired a lawyer over there as he left a will in Scotland with his lawyer , I am named as sole executor , this was thrown out of court as only one witness signature, found this out on arrival at the court , now I have to go back with And give copies of grandparents and parents death certificates to obtain court order for funds in bank account, how will this prove I am the only child ?
    Reply

    • thai888 says

      unfortunate indeed as the Will is void then you are not the Executor As your dad died intestate then the assets or the estate goes to the siblings and that is youThere are ways to do this and proving who you are and your relationship to your father is a first stepIn my experience it is possible to get your birth certificate, your mother and fathers BC and a possibly the grand parents to prove the family tree and where you are in itThese docs are not strong until you get them notarised and possibly legalised at the Thailand Embassy or Consulate in ScotlandThen of course the docs are in English and need to be translated for the courts here in ThailandMaybe the mods can give you my email as there are some other questions like what is the size of the estate and bank accounts (not good on a public forum to disclose this)Weigh up the estate and the costs to see if you want to go through with itLook forward to your reply
      Reply

  9. Eric says

    Hi Kelvin, I did request your email and sent you an email regarding some estate and executor rights and responsibilities. The named executor is being saddled with a will that isn’t reasonable to carry out. He’s got many concerns before his upcoming court date and needs good advice regarding his responsibilities to fulfil the will his friend left him
    Reply

  11. Claire Lawson says

    Hello My uncle lived in Thailand for many years and died in November 2011. We were not aware of this until his girlfriend got in touch to tell us the bank card she used on his account had expired and she couldn’t get a new one!My fatter used to send him £650 each month to live off as he was never really in work but we sadly only heard from him when he needed money.At this point we stopped the payments. I have been trying to get the remaining balance around £2000 out of the bank. I have sent them his death certificate, my passport, details etc and his bank book details to show I am his only surviving relative as his niece.They have replied saying they need to see his Wil, but there wasn’t one, and a court order. I have no idea where to begin to get this can you help at all please?Claire
    Reply

    • thai888 says

      yes this is a common issueas it is less than 100,000 baht the bank should give it to someone with power of attorneyDid your uncle die without a Will in any country - ie intestate?If so the succession rules kick in and therefore you need to prove by birth certificates, passports and other means that you are indeed the only remaining kin.The banks have you at a disadvantage in that they can sit on the money until you prove who you are or get a court order.After costs there would not be much left.Sometime in the future you may visit Thailand and then personally go to the bank with the documents and they may give you the money.That's a may.
      Reply

      • claire lawson says

        Thank you for your reply.Yes he died intestate and i have sent the bank his death certificate, my passport, marriage and birth certificate, copies of his bank books etc but they are insisting that i get a court order appointing the estate administrator and they also ask for copies of the passport and house registration of the guarantor but i have no idea what they mean by that as a guarantor in England is usually in relation to a debt not a Wil?Does anyone know of anywhere i could go to get such an order such as the Thai Embassy perhaps?
        Reply

        • thai888 says

          Hello as I said you need to apply to the court for a grant of probate the only way you can do that is to get a lawyer to apply for a plaint to get a court date the embassy will tell you the same thing the fees you will pay will not leave much from the estate but if you want to proceed appeal to the admin on this site and they may give you my email address
          Reply

        • thai888 says

          the house guarantor is the person that owns the house/condo where your Uncle stayed. they are normally issued a blue house book called a tibian ban and in that book the houseman or guarantor enters other people's name that are authorised to stay in the house. I hope this helps
          Reply

  12. Donn says

    Please help me anyone. I’m in a similar matter as those above but slightly different. My father just passed away. I am his only next of kin, his only son. The consulate contacted me on the 26th of January 2018 after his passing on the 11th. I arrived in ChiangMai on the first of February coming from Las Vegas, Nevada and cremated his remains on the 2nd. The U.S. consulate advised me that he had no living will. I haven’t seen my father for some 30 years since he went away for operation desert storm and desert shield. I came to find out that he had p.t.s.d. He was a hermit with no care for material items but stashed and invested in many different banks. Question is....not do I have a right to my fathers belongings, but how hard will it be to get access to them. I was told that the banks can draw this out for a lengthy time. ANY ADVICE WOULD HELP.
    Reply

    • thai888 kelvin says

      I had a similar case recently and went to Chiang Mai court with the necessary documents. As next of kin you have rights as do the other siblings ie your brother and sister if there are any.Each of you, as your dad died intestate, must sign docs to submit to the court. ie first one of you needs to become the Executor and so the other siblings need to agree to this.If no other siblings then you are sole Beneficiary, however the court needs to sanction your fathers death ie the Death Certificate, your proof of being the daughter and other proof.If you have the bank accounts (Thailand) these should be submitted as well. If you have bank books then get them updated and so you will see if its worth going to court.If you return to the USA then you can appoint another Executor as they need to go to court and get approval ie court order so the banks will release funds to you or the Executor and then they can TT this to you.The anti money laundering rules apply and so the banks will need proof of where then funds came from and why they are being sent back to the USA.If there are bank accounts in the USA then you will need to get the death certificate translated and several copies made, then certified translated, then Dept of Foreign Affairs for legalization to make it through the USA system.Trust me I have experience with all this and if you can answer the above this will let me know more.
      Reply

  13. Blake says

    My brother died almost 3 years ago. He owns/owned a condo in Thailand. His girlfriend remained in the condo but will be moving out this month. The condo will be vacant soon. I have a brother and sister and we are my brothers closest heirs and we live in the US. Our parents are deceased and my brother wasn't married. What do we do with the condo? We're past the 1 year deadline to sell the condo but don't feel comfortable leaving it vacant. Do you have any advice or suggestions?
    Reply

  14. Darrell says

    Really interesting page!My father just died recently, suddenly in his sleep. Married to a Thai lady for about 9yrs. (he has two children in the UK). They have a house and land. He always said the property would be in her name but I'm not sure about anything else like bank accounts. I don't even know if he made a Will. She has shown some concern about a claim to the estate.If she cannot produce a Will and they had joint bank accounts then am I correct that she would be entitled to 50% of the money, and the remainder 50% split between the two UK children? If this is the case, how do I go about organising this? Do I need to find out the bank and write to them, to protect the assets. Or will the bank get in touch with me? How can I be sure that all the finances are being disclosed to me?The land was used for rice, Palm Oil and Rubber. If this was a business in joint names then do I assume the same 50/25/25 split on the value of any cash?Obviously if there is a Will it should be relatively straight forward, following the requests outlined in it.Thanks for any pearls of wisdom!
    Reply

    • kelvin says

      Hi. Normally a house and land is in the wifes name as foreigners have some restrictions on them as far as this goes. Without knowing more - there are many ways around the above. ie a mortgage, loan agreement, lease back, company set up that owns the house.Bank accounts - company accounts joint accounts dads account - Well you cannot simply talk to the bank as they will not disclose whats in the accounts without a court order. The wife may have access to the accounts and then continue on with the business or drain the accounts.If it was a registered company and Dad was a share holder then a check of the DBD data base will show all involved and if the books are up to date.If there is a Will get a copy then you will know what to do. If no Will then you will need to appeal to the Wife for disclosure.Was there a hospital report or a death certificate issued regarding the cause of death?Was there a funeral cremation? If so did the Wife organise this? Did any family attend?Any pensions in the UK? and if so was money regularly transferred to Thailand and to whos account?Sorry for vague answers but there is not much to go on here.
      Reply

  15. Babs says

    My brother died recently in Thailand and did not leave a will, although be always said he was going to. I have his bank card, bank book,passport, birth certificate etc and Power of attorney form from the hospital, I’m just awaiting death certificate. He didn’t own a property and was renting. I have given all his possessions and car etc over to his Thai friends who helped him over the years so it us just the bank account. Any advice would be appreciated.
    Reply

    • kelvin says

      Was your brother married? Any children?POA from hospital is only good for hospital and not the banks.Money in the bank account - if 100k or less then you can approach the bank to release this to you as next of kin.If over 100k you may need a court order unless you have the PIN number to the bank account.If you have the PIN numbers then you know what to do.Passport should be returned to the Embassy.What about cremation or repatriation of the body and ashes. Each country is different.Contact me if you need assistance.
      Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Bill, sorry for your loss. Unfortunately not. That would be illegal. However, have you got proof that the car was purchased with your money? If so, you might have a case. I would continue to use it as your own. I doubt they will fight you in court for it. Do they even know it was in her name? Hopefully Kelvin will jump on here to help answer this too, as he may have had experience of this specific question.
      Reply

    • kelvin says

      This happens all the time and so I strongly suggest that people make a Will. It does not matter if she is younger than you as strange things happen. 61 people die per day on Thai alone.Having said that under the CCC 1629 Thai Law you are, as you were married and aquired this item during that time, entitled to 50% of the car and as your wife died intestate her 50% can go to her children.If the children challenge then you will need to give them some money to keep the peace.Although it was your money this Law still applies.Is there any other assets?
      Reply

  17. Nattinee Napolitano says

    Hi my ex husband died July 4,2016 I had a son with him only 11 years he did living in Thailand with Thai girlfriend no married. And he did make the will give all his asset to my son and have his sister be executor but he did this will in U.S. Embassy Bangkok but never bring to the complete at the court so this will can't go use in U.S. But before he died he had been sue his older son two of them at us because this two son had been steel his asset at us over $2 million. But he died before and now his will that make in Bangkok is not legal then this older son said there have a will that make in U.S. Show their are the two name that get everything from his dad. But there contact me be my son is only 11 years old and ask me to sign paper and give him to be executor for this will. That said nothing come to my son at all this will had make on Nov 2014 but my ex my ex make the new will on sep 2015 give everything to my son so what is the game?
    Reply

    • kelvin says

      it depends on the wording - does the Will say revoke all other Wills and Codicils?The Thailand Will is valid if signed by him and witnessed by 2 people at the same time.Your son is 11 years old and so you need a controller of property until he is 20 years old.The Will if valid then the legal system can appoint an Executor if one is not named in the Will.PM me if you want.
      Reply

    • Frank G Anderson says

      The English here is not clear. I assume you are a Thai? If so, then your message should be in Thai language, and I can then translate it into formal English. There is considerable lack of clarity that can only be seen in original.
      Reply

      • kelvin says

        Hi there Frank No I am English and the balance here is between NES people and ES people.So you need to be aware that many readers have English as a second language and so translating to formal English may not necessarily be the best course.Without hijacking the thread, you may ask for clarity on some issues as the Thai language and Thai law is accepted in Thai Courts. English is a courtesy for the foreigners. But when a point of law is reached then the courts will err to the Thai version and not visa versa.In case you were not aware the Thai language has no commas, full stops or other grammar guidelines. So the entire paragraph must be read and interpreted as the spirit of the documents.When in Thailand the Thai language takes precedence. If this is not clear please feel free to contact me.
        Reply

      • kelvin says

        seems like frank maybe a troll as "Frank G Anderson, an American expat in Nakhon Ratchasima and the editor of the Korat Post, has been sued for what he wrote on his website in Dec 2008 about Pol Lt Col Watthanasak's legal actions against people who he deemed guilty of the crime of lèse majesté." source https://prachatai.com/english/node/1673
        Reply

  18. gai says

    I am a legal adopted heir. My father had passed away in Thailand. He did not leave any will. His second wife and his biological daughter came to Switzerland and transferred all the money to Bangkok. As a legal adopted heir, what is my part for the inheritance? I received a lette from my father's wife lawyer in Thailand as follow:example: 100000 thb inheritancewife title to 50%: 50000 thb the rest: 50000 thb dived by 3= 16666 (wife, daughter, adopted child)Why is the wife is receiving more than 50%? 50000+16666 bth?Please advise what % i should receive for my inheritance.
    Reply

    • kelvin says

      Under section 1629 of the Civil and Commercial Code of Thailand there are 6 classes of statutory heirs and they are entitled to inherit in the following order:small map Thailanddescendants \the fathers children parents \ fathers parents brothers and sisters of full blood brothers and sisters of half blood grandparents uncles and aunts The surviving spouse is a statutory heir, subject to the special provisions of Section 1635 Civil and Commercial Code.if they were legally married then the Sim Sod Lot law of 50-50 comes in if the assets were obtained after legally married. I hope this helps and the lesson for the day is MAKE a Will
      Reply

  19. kelvin says

    Yes Author this is common talk and even when set up properly issues arise.I will be the devils advocate: If for example you left your assets in say UK then anything over 375K Pounds would be taxed heavily, wheres if that money was in Thailand then it would lower the UK threshold and you would have an asset in Thailand. This is just one example. Another is the USA and there FACTA Laws that hunt down citizens that have over 10K USD in income overseas. If you dont pay then they will penalise you and big time. So setting up a company might be the way to go.Yes its true that things in Thailand could change but this is true all over the World. Think Cyprus Banks where people lost millions!A good Will and an even better Executor does make a difference when dealing with the family as should they do something to disregard the Will it could become a criminal or civil law matter. Trust me they normally dont have the income to fight this kind of thing.Arthur, its a real coin toss. So win so loose. From my experience the ones that loose have failed to plan and have trusted to much.
    Reply

  20. Sandra says

    my father died last weekend in thailand. He lived there for several years (not official) with his thai girlfriend. If he still had lived here in holland i had sign a form to say i don't want any thigh from him. Not his money not his car, personal belongings etc. But te case is he did't live here and the rules from thailand are the rules now.All i want is that his girlfriend can pay the funeral and get his car and the money if he had so.( i don't know because we are not unspeaking terms)What can i do? Please help
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Sandra,Sorry to hear of your father's passing. I don't think you need to worry too much about this. His girlfriend will most likely keep the car and whatever possessions he had there. I'm sure he had discussed this with her to some degree. Any assets in Holland will be inherited by you or other siblings, unless your father made a will with specific details stating otherwise.
      Reply

    • kelvin says

      Signed a form? Not sure what this is? If you father lived here for many years its possible that he had some assets and a bank account. If the bank had less than 100K then the bank may let the next of kin (NOK) take it out. However the girl friend is not the NOK and so cannot (unless she has the PIN number for the ATM) take the money out.The car she can drive around and just register it and pay insurance each year. No one will probably know. Assets in the condo yes she will probably keep or sell.The Embassy would be informed of your fathers death. They will tell the NOK.It is possible the police went to your fathers house after his death and secured his passport and bank books and phone?If they have this then you will be able to see what state his affairs were in.The girl friend is not the NOK and not the common law wife. She is the GF and has not legal rights concerning your fathers wishes or estate.look on the internet for a funeral and probate lawyer.
      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        I think Sandra was saying if her father had lived in Holland she would have signed an agreement that did not give her rights to any of his estate. The GF could take whatever cash was in the house though right? and I assume she could quickly clear possessions from his house/apartment as no one would know exactly what was in there. Is the 100k bank account threshold a rule for NOK?
        Reply

        • kelvin says

          the 100K rule is dependent on the bank. When doing probate it is difficult as the bank does not have to tell you how much is in the account. So look for a bankbook and get it update via the bank machine. If dad didnt have a Will then succession of beneficiaries will kick in and Sandra as a sibling whether she wants or not could be in line for inheritance or simply walk away and let the state deal with it.
          Reply

  21. Elijah says

    If my wife is a Thai & I am a Malaysian, when I pass away, can my Thai wife sell away my car? My parents & brothers are still alive & living in Malaysia & I do not have a will. What are the procedures? What documentations are required?
    Reply

  22. Ron says

    My situation seems very simple ... 3 years after our mariage in Thailand I (foreigner) bought a condo on my name only (my spouse signed an agreement) ... Now, 12 years later I want to offer (= zero baht) my condo to my wife - no kids - Is it possible ? Expensive ? Thx
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      You mean transfer it to her for free? As far as I know doing so will not incur any gift tax because the property is likely not worth more than 20m Baht. Don't quote me on this, but I think there will be a transfer tax fee of 2% of the value of the property. She would not pay stamp duty because the price is zero Baht.
      Reply

    • kelvin says

      offer? under Thai Simsod lot law whatever you acquire during marriage is 50 % owned by wife so I assume she signed and agreement to state she did not want her 50% also did you buy under the Thai 51% in the building ratio - hence she needed to sign and now if you transfer to her then this % will go back into the condo Thai ratio? If I am correct in understanding that you want to transfer to wife then it will attract all the fees and transfers - just like a normal sale and based on the Land Office estimate of the value - whereas if you were dead then she would inherit and the fees would be less. Make a Will - keep the condo as is as this will be cheaper
      Reply

  23. karma says

    what happens if there is a Will but French spouse (husband) passed away but has assets in Thailand? Wife and son are Singaporean. If Will states all assets to be given to wife, is she eligible or the deceased family will inherit the assets?Please clarify.thanks
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      If his assets held in Thailand are detailed in his Will to be passed to his Singaporean wife and son then the first question is: did he file a copy of his Will in Thailand (in Thai) with a Thai probate lawyer? If the answer is yes, then the Wife will simply need to make an appointment with the lawyer to proceed with the instructions. If the answer is no, the process could be a long one, particularly if there are any "other" persons in his life living in Thailand who feel they have a right to some of the estate. In this case, get a copy of the Will and find a reputable lawyer immediately to represent "you".
      Reply

      • thai888 says

        Wife and son are non residents and depending on the assets there will be different ways to go. Are they legally married? If the Will is valid - to prove this the Will and the Executor must read must go to court to prove this. Hence a lawyer is mandatory -no way around this. If the Will was not in Thai it will need to be translated. If the son is under 18 years old then he will need a controller of property until he is 18. If there is property owned then it will have to be sold within 12 months unless it is in a company name then we simply transfer the Directorship over. Money in the bank will nee a court order unless there is an ATM card and PIN number handy. Cars and bikes - depends how old they are - might be able to sell or usually if old I am professional with International Probate- contact me regards Kelvin
        Reply

  24. KB says

    another post mentioned giving away Thai citizenship. However this person was not born in Thailand. The poster says he is eligible to apply. Yes he can but having 50% Thai blood does not give him any special treatment. See here:Article 23 of the 2008 Nationality Act reversed the 1972 Act, restoring citizenship to those who had it before, and allowing people born in Thailand before 1992 to apply for Thai citizenship anew. However, applicants have reported various difficulties in getting government officials to process their applications. Following the Act's passage, one of the first people to gain citizenship under Article 23 was Fongchan Suksaneh, a child of American missionaries to the Mlabri people who was born in Chiang Mai Province.[6][8] Children neither of whose parents are citizens and at least one of whose parents is an illegal alien remain not entitled to jus soli citizenship.[1] Furthermore, someone who has Thai citizenship by sole virtue of jus soli may still lose Thai citizenship under various conditions of the 2008 Act (such as living abroad) which do not apply to people who have Thai citizenship by virtue of jus sanguinis.[9] In 2013, the Ministry of Interior proposed new immigration regulations, based on Section 7 of the 2008 Nationality Act, to declare children who did not gain Thai citizenship at birth as illegal immigrants and have them deported.[10]
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Yes, I read the same. This looks like it was taken from the same Wikipedia article. My line, "Persons born anywhere in the world to at least one parent with Thai citizenship themselves are entitled to Thai citizenship at birth" was from the same article.
      Reply

  25. Haruto says

    I have one question and if my parent were living in Thailand and my father was an American and my mother was Thai and I myself was half US/Thai. But I've decided to be American and throw away my Thai Nationality. If my parents dies from something, will I be able to inherit their stuff or what will happen. (As a case, not real)Thank you for answering.
    Reply

    • KB says

      I have a question you say you are half Thai and half US - this does not matter as it is where you were born. ie if you were born in Thailand then you have rights. If you were born in USA of Thai and American parent then you are a US Citizen - not Thai and therefore you have no nationality to throw away. You can inherit your parents assets by way of a Will. If no Will then the Laws of succession apply.If a house is involved or land or condominium then there could be an issue if you are not a Thai national. So think carefully about giving away your rights.
      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        Even if born in the US, he is still eligible for Thai citizenship because of having a Thai parent.Persons born anywhere in the world to at least one parent with Thai citizenship themselves are entitled to Thai citizenship at birth.
        Reply

  26. KB says

    yes renting is OK if you dont want any assets in Thailand but with most things the longer you spend in a country the more assets you accrue ie money in the bank for your retirement visa extension of stay bike car cash jewelry - it all adds up.the extended Thai family cant get anything if a proper Will is drawn up. They are not even entitled to one single baht if not listed as beneficiaries.so get a Will drawn up as its not expensive compared to how much you could loose out to the Government if you dont have one.
    Reply

  27. Sue Jones says

    My Dad moved to Thailand from the UK about 8 years ago, where he married a thai woman. He's almost disregarded having my brother and I over here, apart from this last couple of weeks, when my brother passed away suddenly, leaving a house and a large Death in Service benefit - he doesn't have any children or partner, so from what I gather his estate goes to my Dad.My Dad jumped on a plane straight away and it's quite clear he's done so to ensure he gets all the monies. He's also bragging that he'll be taking all monies back to thailand and when something happens to him, everything will go to his wife.I'm not trying to be a gold digger, but am struggling to understand how he gets to have everything from my brother and then his wife then gets everything, when in fact, my mum when she was alive worked hard for everything and would have wanted my to recieve inheritance too.Are there any loop holes, is there anyway I would be able to make a claim on my dads estate in the event of his death. I'm not worried about what he has with his wife, but do feel it's very unjust that she would benefit from everything.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      I have no idea what claim you might have, but I assume that a lawyer would seek an injunction for you on the basis that you should have a claim. What that basis would be I don't know. It would be worth paying the hourly fee to speak to a probate lawyer about this.
      Reply

  28. kelvin says

    In some cases where the Executor is sick, old or overseas and it would be disruptive then the court may allow power of attorney for another person in Thailand to act in their place. However, it is purely at the discretion of the courts.Most times the Executor or the beneficiary under the succession laws must make an appearance in court.Also, say for example a property needs to be sold the the Land Office would want the beneficiary to sign at the Land Office.Its complicated and thats why its best to let the Lawyers handle it ( as much as people hate Lawyers).Plus all is in Thai and need official translation, in many cases by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
    Reply

  29. kelvin says

    a good over view of making a Will. However, from my experience and from statistics it shows that most people do not make a Will. Crazy as it sounds its true. This omission causes a lot of stress and delays as the remaining partner may not have sufficient funds to last until the court approves either dying intestate (without a Will) and dying with a Will. It normally takes up to 3 months to get to court and another month to receive challenges to the Will or the Executor.In 100% of cases the Executor after finding out they need to go to court and then run around winding up the estate resign. This causes more delays as the new Executor must then get Power of Attorney from the old Executor.Another issue is that the partner can inherit a condo however if they are overseas then they are non resident and do not have a visa and so have to sell the property within a year.Children under the age of 20 if they inherit will need a controller or property (COP) to look after the estate until the child reaches age. However this COP can draw funds to see to the child's schooling and upkeep.And the assets in most cases need to be liquidated and this takes time.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Thanks for this information Kelvin, it definitely adds value to the post and brings up some key points. This is particularly interesting: "Children under the age of 20 if they inherit will need a controller or property (COP) to look after the estate until the child reaches age. However this COP can draw funds to see to the child’s schooling and upkeep." I imagine this could be a real problem if a child is very young as the inheritance could be unscrupulously spent on "upkeep" before the child gets to see any money when he or she comes of age.
      Reply

      • kelvin says

        Yes its a problem as mum might be the controller of property for a long time and there is no mechanism to audit her.Also the Executor of the Will may look after this but as you say they are on the hook for many many years.If only Thailand had Trusts, so the child could draw down on the assets through the Trustee.
        Reply

  30. arthurb says

    Another reason not to buy any assets here. Rent everything and leave your valuables at home with a will that your family knows about. The system here is not set up to make you richer, and that's putting it mildly. I've known a couple of guys who passed away here and their families had a lot of trouble getting what was rightfully theirs from the said gentlemen's greedy extended Thai families.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      I agree in part Arthur. But I'm pretty sure if all one's affairs are in order, e.g. a lawyer is instructed in Thailand and in your home country as to what you own in Thailand and who should inherit these assets, it should be straight forward enough. What is a concern, though, is the regularly shifting political situation and the subsequent changes in law that come with this. This may at some point affect the way inheritance works of foreigners' assets in Thailand.
      Reply

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