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Wills and Estates
Family Emergency and Estate Readiness
A planned review of the documents and contacts your family would need if you became seriously ill or died in Thailand. You receive a bilingual handover file that shows them what exists, where it is and who to call.
This is a preparation service, not an emergency service. If someone needs urgent medical help now, call 1669 or go to the nearest hospital. Do not wait to reach a lawyer.
Who this service helps
This service is for adults who can still give instructions and want their family to know what exists and where it is.
Expatriates and retirees in Thailand
Your family may live abroad, speak little Thai and have no idea which hospital, lawyer or insurer to call.
People with documents already signed
You have a will, a living will or a power of attorney, but your family may not know where the originals are or which version is current.
Couples and blended families
Each adult gives their own instructions. Where wishes or confidentiality differ, each person needs a separate intake.
People with connections to more than one country
We record where your assets and legal documents are, and identify what needs separate foreign advice.
What you receive
- 1
Document and contact inventory
A record of your existing will, living-will and authority documents, with dates, locations and the contacts named in them.
- 2
Bilingual handover file
An English and Thai file for a family member you approve. Each recipient gets a separate copy with only the information you approve for that person.
- 3
Written gap list
Missing information, apparent inconsistencies and recommended next steps, with the person responsible and an agreed date for each item.
How a gap list reads (format example)
| Issue | Evidence missing | Recommended action | Responsible | Agreed date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location of original will unknown | Name of the person holding the original | Ask the client to identify the custodian | Client | To be agreed | Open |
How the process works
Request a consultation
Send the short form below. We reply by email.
Scope and quotation
We confirm whether the service fits, check for conflicts and send a written quotation. Work starts only after scope, fee and information-handling terms are agreed.
Intake meeting
We spend 60 minutes with you on your contacts, your documents and where each one is kept.
Review
We check dates, locations, named contacts and apparent inconsistencies, and identify matters that need separate legal advice.
Draft and correction
You review the handover file and the gap list, then send your corrections together in one consolidated round.
Delivery
We deliver the approved copy to you or to the recipient you named, after confirming your instruction and the recipient’s identity, and we record receipt.
Afterwards, replace the file when a contact, your family circumstances, your residence or your legal documents change. An annual review is optional, separately agreed and never renews automatically.
Included and not included
Included
- One 60-minute intake meeting for one adult client
- An inventory of your existing will, living-will and authority documents
- A check of document dates, locations, named contacts and apparent inconsistencies
- A bilingual emergency and family handover file
- A written list of missing information and recommended next steps
- One consolidated correction round
Not included
- New wills or substantive redrafting
- Confirmation that any document is valid or enforceable
- Translation of third-party documents
- Foreign-law or tax opinions
- Court applications and estate administration
- Attendance at hospitals or government offices
- An emergency hotline or continuous monitoring
- Holding funds, valuables or original documents under this service
- A separate intake for a spouse or partner
What the file can and cannot do
A handover file helps people find things. It gives nobody legal power. Each point below is marked as Thai law, reported practice or our recommendation.
A contact is not a medical decision-maker
Thai law A Thai living will records your own advance refusal of treatment given only to prolong dying at the end of your life, or to end suffering from illness. Palliative care continues. You may name a person in it to explain your wishes where they are unclear. That person explains your wishes; the document does not make them your decision-maker.
Source: National Health Act B.E. 2550, s.12; Ministerial Regulation on living wills B.E. 2553, cl.2, 3 and 6
The current living will has to be easy to find
Thai law On admission, the document must be given to the health professionals without delay. If there are several versions, the most recently made version given to the treating doctor is the one that applies.
Source: Ministerial Regulation on living wills B.E. 2553, cl.5
A power of attorney has limits
Thai law Agency ends when either party dies, goes bankrupt or is adjudged incompetent by a court, unless that conflicts with the agreement or the nature of the business.
In practice Hospitals and banks may apply their own requirements. This service does not assume that a power of attorney will be accepted for medical decisions.
Source: Civil and Commercial Code, ss.28 and 826
Being named in a will is a starting point
Thai law An estate administrator may be appointed by will or by court order.
In practice Thai banks commonly require a court appointment order. The route depends on the will, the heirs, the asset and the institution.
Source: Civil and Commercial Code, ss.1711 to 1713
Details are not authority
Our recommendation Do not use a deceased person’s password, bank card or account just because the details are available. Take advice on lawful access first, and keep the records.
A death must be notified quickly
Thai law A death must be notified to the local registrar within 24 hours. Who must notify depends on where the death happened.
Our recommendation Ask the hospital or the registrar what is needed, then take advice on the estate.
Source: Civil Registration Act B.E. 2534, s.21
How your information is handled
- You keep your original documents.
- We never ask for passwords, PINs or recovery phrases.
- We prepare a restricted working file and a separate family copy for each approved recipient.
- Nobody is notified automatically. Sharing with anyone outside the firm needs recorded authority and the applicable confidentiality and privacy checks.
Pricing
Family Emergency and Estate Readiness
Request a quotation
We have not published a fixed fee for this package. The written quotation states the fee, the scope and how any applicable tax is treated, and you decide before work starts.
Practical questions
Is this an emergency service?
No. It is preparation done in advance. We do not run an emergency hotline or monitor anything continuously. In a medical emergency, call 1669 or go to the nearest hospital.
Someone in my family is already seriously ill or has died. Can this help?
This service is for an adult who can still give instructions. If that is no longer possible, read our guide to the death of a foreigner in Thailand or book a consultation.
Will you contact my family when something happens?
No. Nobody is notified automatically. The file tells your family who to contact, and they make the first contact.
Does the handover file give my family legal authority?
No. It gives contacts and document locations. It grants no authority to make medical decisions, operate accounts or administer an estate.
Will my family be able to get into my bank accounts?
Not through this service. Access depends on the institution and on proof of legal authority. We help your family see which documents exist, not bypass that process.
Do you check that my will or living will is valid?
Not in this service. We check dates, locations, named contacts and apparent inconsistencies, and we tell you what needs separate legal advice. The review does not certify any document as valid or enforceable.
Do I need to give you my passwords or bank details?
No, never give us passwords, PINs or recovery phrases. The inventory records the type of asset, the country, the institution and where the document is kept.
Will you keep my original documents?
Not under this service. You keep your originals and we record who holds each one. We offer safekeeping of a signed original will as a separate service.
Can my spouse or partner and I do this together?
Each adult gives their own instructions. A spouse or partner is a separate client, with a separate intake where instructions or confidentiality differ. Tell us when you request a consultation and we will include it in the quotation.
I have assets in another country. Is that covered?
We record the connection and identify what needs foreign advice. Foreign-law and tax opinions are separate.
What language is the file in?
The handover file is in English and Thai. Our consultations are available in English, French and Thai.
How long does it take?
We do not publish a delivery time for this service. We will confirm timing in your quotation.
What happens when my details change?
We can issue a new version by separate agreement. The old version is marked as superseded and we record who received the replacement.
Request a consultation
Tell us how to reach you. We will reply by email with the next step.
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