Planning for the worst

[robby hh]

We all like to think we will live for ever but have you ever considered what would happen if you were to suddenly die in this country from an accident, heart attack, stroke or anything else for that matter?
Well I have recently been forced to think of just that eventuality and have been making plans to cover everything I can think of..

First thing that came to mind was my will which had been made many years ago, was it still current? I had a look and it definitely needed updating so I E-mailed my lawyer and he made the changes I wanted then E-mailed me a copy of the revised document with the instruction that I should sign it in the presence of 2 witnesses to my signature then scan the signed page and return it to him. Simple enough as it could be anyone who could verify my signature as long as they were not a beneficiary of the will.
What a hassle I had getting someone to sign, tried a lawyer who had his office a couple of hundred meters up the road, he said yes he could do it but the whole will would have to be translated into Thai then the translation certified as correct, when that was done he and his assistant would sign but he would have to keep copies of the will in both English and Thai, cost 20,000B. Unacceptable to me so I tried a couple of other things like the Ampour who are supposed to have a free document signing facility, only for Thais. Ended up at my Embassy and got it done, they even scanned it and E-mailed to me so I could forward to lawyer, good service, cost 1080B.

Then there is who can identify you if you are dead? Might be OK if you are in a place where you have plenty of friends but what if you have gone to BKK for some reason (cant think of many) and are bowled over by a tuk tuk or taxi driving normally. You don’t know anyone there or have anyone with you so an ambulance arrives and takes you to a hospital where they look through your pockets and hopefully find some ID with contact phone numbers. Do you have that?
They contact the lady of long standing or some good friend and they come a running.

Does the lady or friends have enough money to do what has to be done? Does the lady have a PIN number for your bank account so she can pay for things? Does she have the password for your E-mail so she can contact your family and friends? Does she know who she should contact, are there lists of contacts anywhere to tell her this and does she know where to find those lists if they exist?

Next thing to address is that there can be hassles with the release of a body to anyone but a relative. If you are not married to your lady she may even be refused access to see your body. You can get round this by making up a document to say who should be given access to and can secure the release of your body. We were alerted to this by a doctor friend and although I haven’t done it yet but have brought it up with the hospital where I am being treated and they will do it for me.

To address all of this I am in the process of making up a folder with what I hope will be all the relevant lists, my will, and anything else I can think of. The lady will know what this is and where it is and when it is complete I will go through it with her.

Do you have anything like this in place?

[DawnHRD]

My Dad did for my Mum when he died out here. He left her an itemised list of what she should do and made ID of his body as easy as possible. We didn't identify his body at all - just all the ID he had on him.
The list was distressing when she found it, but it helped us get started. One thing not on the list that I did very quickly was phone the British embassy & they were very helpful with legal aspects & what was needed. Very sympathetic, too.

BTW, you mentioned PIN no. for bank account. Be aware that when notified of death, many banks freeze accounts until things are sorted out. Maybe start a separate account in the lady's name with card, bank book & pin no to be useed only in such an emergency?

[sandman67]

me I have a phone with MUM, DAD and BROTHER in it...always on me.......

a set of dog tags with my name, blood group (and allergies in medical coding) and passport number on em.....on my bike boots I carry a second set - one each foot.

a lass here who knows who to call and how important it is.....

and mates back home, and family, who would come looking if I fell out of contact .......

as to the rest....I was born with nothing and will leave with nothing. Whats left behind I dont care about...... I'll be dead remember!

what more do you need? The names and numbers are just a courtesy ... (they are family and mates)....

there y go.......

[migrant]

For those with significant others, it's very important, good of the op to mention.

I've dealt often with clients where one spouse dies. This spouse is the keeper of the financial data and the other has no clue.

I've seen spouses not knowing how much money they have, where it is, insurances, etc.

By dealing with it one can avoid a lot of heartaches for the other half.

[sargeant]

I got the wake up call on 15th march 2007 so i took the following action
1. Divorced estranged wife
2. Married legally Mrs Sarge
3. Registered marriage with my pension fund to ensure she gets my widows pension and have letters of confirmation
4. Opened a joint Nationwide account with Mrs Sarge which my pension is paid into
5. Wrote a will and had it signed by persons who know me and lodged my will with my sister and BinL
6. Made a cd containing all actions which i need after i am done for and emailed its contents to my sister by email the cd is stored with the file
7. Made a file containing all relevent important documents in order they need dealing with including letters to pension fund British Embassy Nationwide and my wishes to inform of my croaking it plus addressed envelopes
8. Have taken my son through it all including emails to be sent letters to be posted and phone calls to be made and who to inform and how
9. Ordered in 3 litre of petrol a load of wood and a box of matches

Have i missed anything

[Guess]

Does the lady have a PIN number for your bank account so she can pay for things?

Dawn is right about that one.

Also it is illegal to uses someones else's card even if it is your wife using yours. Also it is illegal to take money from the account of a dead person. So if you cop it and she goes and takes out money she has committed two crimes. However, this is Thailand.

If you trust her then give her the PIN and tell her to take out the money as soon as she has got the card and then destroy it.

If you don't feel happy letting her have the PIN while you are alive then give it someone far away and tell your wife to contact that person as soon as possible to get the PIN and pass on news.

Obviously you have to tell her what she is doing and tell her to keep it to herself. Avoid ATMs with camera lenses on. They may just be connected.

I think you are right to take a practical approach to an emotional situation that is however inevitable. If you don't prepare your family suffer to the benefit of the lawyers.

Stats on people not attending to these things are unbelievable.

5. Wrote a will and had it signed by persons who know me
9. Ordered in 3 litre of petrol a load of wood and a box of matches

That's the two most important things.

Have i missed anything

Only grammar and punctuation.

[sargeant]

quote guess
"Only grammar and punctuation."

Silly old fart my grammars died years ago and i am hoping for lots more punctureations before i snuff it i keep the motocike shop going his kids would starve without my puncture ations

[Nereus]

I got the wake up call on 15th march 2007 so i took the following action

Have i missed anything

Only the most important: FOOD for the Monks, and the rest of us that come to Cheer you on your way. ( glad to see that you got that divorce business sorted out)

[sargeant]

Ah sorry Nereus i have had the eerie experience of sitting in an evening party ish and the whole street discussing my BBQ in MY presence even down to where the tent goes what and who supplies the food and drink down to EXACTELY where my box is gonna lie my neighbour even got a tape measure out to make sure how big my box would be WEIRD .I put it on a seperate topic but cant find it so dont worry its all arranged.

[PeteC]

Here is another alternative. Apparently companies all over the world are offering this service now. Just think, our Thai partners can wear us around and really have something to chat to their friends about. LOL...Pete

http://www.lifegem.com/

[lindosfan1]

The easy way with bank accounts is make them joint all my money is paid into it and we both have cards. I die her card is still valid.

[DawnHRD]

robby hh,

One thing that you mention that I didn't pick up on is that bodies might not be released to non-family. I can only speak for myself, but when my (Thai) BF died, I had no problems getting all the paperwork & his body released to me. None of his blood relations (apart from his little son whom I take care of) turned up till 100 days after his cremation. Throughout I was treated as his wife. Doctors & medical staff consulted me & I had no problems with any bureaucracy after his death.
It might have been because my Mum & I were paying the bill, but that would be the case with any surviving GF or wife, I imagine.

[robby hh]

Was wondering about joint accounts
will immigration accept a joint account with min 800k for a retirement visa?

I have no pension so have to have the 800k 3 months before visa is due

[lomuamart]

Was wondering about joint accounts
will immigration accept a joint account with min 800k for a retirement visa?

I have no pension so have to have the 800k 3 months before visa is due

I'm pretty sure that the bank account has to be in your sole name.

[sargeant]

Just one small point i missed in my first list is, i am in a co-operative in which the people in the co-op pay 20 baht every time a person dies in the co-op. Entry to the co-op only happens after someone has died so its a case of filling dead mans shoes. The 20 baht from all members is paid to the widow or widower for the funeral and is worth 30,000 baht all told so a lot of members.
The big thing for me is that it certainly helps Mrs Sarge and takes out the possibility that she will end up in debt after i am gone.