Inheritance
What happens to a foreigner's assets in Thailand after death — and what a Thai partner or her children can expect to inherit — depends heavily on whether there's a valid Thai will, since dying without one means Thai intestacy law decides, not the assumptions either side may have been making. Several stories on this site touch this directly: a foreigner who never got around to writing a Thai will, a partner uncertain what she'd actually be entitled to if something happened to him, an inheritance that became a source of real family tension once it was suddenly relevant. A will made in a foreigner's home country doesn't automatically cover assets in Thailand — a separate Thai will, covering Thai-based property specifically, is what most lawyers recommend for anyone with a Thai partner, a Thai property, or Thai bank accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Does a foreign will cover assets in Thailand?
Not automatically — most lawyers recommend a separate Thai will covering Thai-based assets specifically, since a will made abroad can face delays or complications going through Thai probate.
What happens if a foreigner dies in Thailand without a will?
Thai intestacy law decides who inherits, based on a fixed legal order of relatives, rather than any informal understanding between the foreigner and his Thai partner or her family — which is exactly the gap that catches some of the people in these stories off guard.
Stories related to Inheritance
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