What happened
The client wanted a will covering only property and assets in Thailand. An estate plan was already in place overseas. The task was to record how the Thai assets should be distributed and managed without unintentionally revoking or conflicting with the overseas will.
What we did
- We checked whether the client had previously made a will abroad and reviewed how the new document might affect those arrangements.
- We advised the client about the potential effect of a later will. For this plan, the Thai document expressly referred to the existing overseas will and confirmed its intended continuation for assets outside Thailand.
- We drafted the new will to apply only to assets located in Thailand and listed the individual assets clearly.
- We included instructions for administering those assets after the client's death so the beneficiaries would have a written account of the client's intentions.
- The completed document was certified by a notarial services attorney as part of the arrangements recorded in this matter.
The outcome in this case
The client completed a will for the Thai assets, with its scope distinguished from the existing overseas arrangements. Certification is described as a step taken in this matter, not as a statement that every Thai will requires notarial certification or that certification alone establishes validity.