Révisé par ThaiLawOnline, un cabinet d'avocats thaïlandais agréé exerçant en Thaïlande depuis 2006. Avocate thaïlandaise en charge du dossier : Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., licence du barreau thaïlandais 3149/2556.
Dernière mise à jour le 5 septembre 2026
A public will (พินัยกรรมแบบเอกสารฝ่ายเมือง, phinaikam baep ekkasan fai mueang, usually called a district office will ou amphur will) is a will made by declaring one’s wishes to a district officer in the presence of at least two witnesses, under Section 1658 of the Code civil et commercial. The officer writes the declaration down, reads it back, and everyone signs; the office keeps a certified duplicate. Since 24 March 2026 the procedure is governed by the Ministerial Regulation on the Making of Wills B.E. 2569, which allows the will to be made at any district or khet office in Thailand for a fee of 250 baht.
Table des matières
What Section 1658 and the 2026 regulation require
The testator states the terms of the will to the district officer (the amphore or, in Bangkok, the khet office) before at least two witnesses present at the same time. The officer records the declaration, reads it to the testator and witnesses, and all three sign; the officer then signs, dates and seals the document. The Code allows the declaration to be taken outside the office on request, which is how a bedridden testator makes one. As with every Thai will, the writer and the witnesses, and their spouses, cannot benefit under it (Section 1653).
The Ministerial Regulation B.E. 2569 replaced a regulation that had stood for 66 years. It introduced a standard form (Phor Kor 1), raised the fee from 50 to 250 baht and the certified copy fee from 10 to 50 baht, and removed the old requirement to use the office where the property or the testator was registered: any amphur or khet office now serves. The testator keeps the original and the office retains a certified duplicate, and since 1 September 2009 district office wills are logged in a central database, so a lost original can be replaced by a certified copy. Wills made before that date are traceable only at the office that made them.
Points pratiques pour un étranger
Bring a passport or other official photo identification with an identity number, two adult witnesses who are not beneficiaries, and a clear list of assets and beneficiaries. The document is drawn up in Thai. A testator who does not read Thai needs an interpreter, and a bilingual draft prepared in advance keeps the officer’s Thai text faithful to what was intended. The officer records what is said; the office gives no advice on whether a foreign heir can hold the land being left to them, or on how the will interacts with one made at home.
The strength of the form is evidential. A public will is an official document, signed and sealed by a state officer, with a duplicate on file: nobody can argue about handwriting, and the question of whether the witnesses were really present is answered by the officer’s certificate. The weakness is content. A 250 baht will drafted at the counter may leave a condominium to a foreigner who exceeds the building’s quota, or omit a residuary clause, and the office will not notice. The guide on what a will costs in Thailand compares the district office route with a drafted will.
Public will compared with other forms
| Formulaire | témoins | Office and fee | Risque principal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public will (Section 1658) | Two, before the officer | Any amphur or khet, 250 baht | Content errors; Thai text only |
| Ordinary witnessed will (Section 1656) | Two, at the same time | Aucun | Witness defects; lost original |
| Holographic will (Section 1657) | Aucun | Aucun | Handwriting disputes; lost original |
| Secret will (Section 1660) | Two, plus the officer | Amphur or khet office | Rarely used; formalities easy to miss |
For a foreigner with straightforward Thai assets and a Thai-speaking helper, the public will is a sound choice, and it is the only form with a government copy. Most people with mixed families or property in two countries have a bilingual ordinary will drafted first and then, if they want the official record, take that text to the district office to be declared as a public will.
Foire aux questions
Can a foreigner make a will at a district office in Thailand?
Yes. Since the Ministerial Regulation B.E. 2569 took effect on 24 March 2026, any amphur or khet office can take a public will from anyone with valid identification, whatever their nationality. The document is written in Thai, so a foreigner who does not read Thai should bring an interpreter and a prepared bilingual draft.
How much does a public will cost in Thailand?
The government fee is 250 baht to make the will and 50 baht for each certified copy, up from 50 and 10 baht before 24 March 2026. There is no charge for the witnesses, but any drafting or translation done beforehand is separate.
What is the difference between a public will and a witnessed will?
Both need two witnesses and both are equally valid. A public will is declared before a district officer, written on the official form, and kept in duplicate at the office, which makes it very hard to challenge on formalities. A witnessed will is a private document signed at home before two witnesses, in any language, with no official copy.
Voir aussi : volonté, holographic will, secret will, testator, and the guides on making a last will in Thailand ET the cost of a will in Thailand.
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