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Should a Thai spouse change her last name?


steffi

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Hi TB,

 

got married in oct in BKK as well.

My wife was also told to change ID card within 60 days, which she did in her Amphur, in Koh Samui.

We'll change her passport whenever it's needed or relevant.

The tabian baan is in her name and that was also changed.

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Says limbo:

Hi TB,

 

got married in oct in BKK as well.

My wife was also told to change ID card within 60 days, which she did in her Amphur, in Koh Samui.

We'll change her passport whenever it's needed or relevant.

The tabian baan is in her name and that was also changed.

 

WOW We on 16th.

 

You

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Says limbo:

On the 24th.

 

What Amphur did you go to?

 

To my surprise we went to one that is really close to Kao San RD, I walked there to the Chao Praya River a good 8 or 9 yrs ago during my forst trip to Thailand!!

 

 

Pra Khanong District Office

 

We used Thai Communication services for translation of all docs,etc

 

All done in one day. :bow:

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"Prior to 1998, any Thai woman who married a foreigner would lose her right to purchase land in Thailand. She could, however, still retain land that she owned prior to marrying the foreigner. However, the recent (1999) Ministerial regulation now allows Thai national's married to foreigners the right to purchase land, but the Thai spouse must prove that the money used in the purchase of freehold land is legally solely theirs with no foreign claim to it. This is usually achieved by the foreign spouse signing a declaration stating that the funds used for the purchase of property belonged to the Thai spouse prior to the marriage and are beyond his claim."
This sounds right. It is also consistent with the comments in another thread here about buying property where there was a longer discussion about what someone called the "Bar Girl Affidavit", that is, the document the Farang husband must sign disavowing any interest in any property acquired by his wife. As I understand matters, and I am not a lawyer, the rules had to be changed to allow a Thai woman to buy property when she is married to a Farang because the new Thai Constitution bars discrimination on the basis of gender.

 

However, I also know from friends that, in practice, the Bar Girl Affidavit process can be a hassle, particularly if she is buying property up country where the local officials may have their own practices and customs that differ from the official rules and regulations promulgated in Bangkok.

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Sanukboot

 

I agree with your observations.

 

We married in October 2000. My wife immediately changed her name on her ID card and tabian baan (Census Register Book) and then had her passport endorsed with the surname change.

 

Absolutely no problems since then regarding land ownership, etc.

 

There are still many old wives tales floating round about "loss of land rights, etc." Most of these are unfounded and no longer true.

 

Regards

Paul

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Unless things changed in the last 6 months, the "practical" restriction on land ownership is still there. You could go thru the farang husband signing off that his money wasn't involved, but like the new US INS laws, those that enforce them, in this case the Thai authorities, may not be so familiar with them.

 

Farthermore, why raise red flags for your Thai spouse? If she keeps her maiden name in LOS, she can still change it in the Western country.

 

Remember that in LOS, the laws are interpreted by people. That is why bribes go a long way, in my experience, in Thailand.

 

When LOS doesn't know she's married, she can do business much less encumbered.

 

ABC

 

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If she decides to keep her maiden name in Thailand I think it is wise to keep her maiden name in the Western country too. Using two different names could get confusing and cause problems. Is it even legal for a person to use two different last names? To have two sets of ID?

 

 

 

 

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Sanukdee,

 

Legal according to who? Certainly, in the USA, many people legally use two different names - one personal and one professional.

 

With regard to Thailand, a married woman must adopt her husband's surname. The only way she can continue to use her maiden name is to not tell the government she's married. Which means that she doesn't get married in Thailand, she get's married in her husband's country. Many Thai women married to farangs, perhaps most, do this.

 

Regards, JEff

 

Says sanukdee:

If she decides to keep her maiden name in Thailand I think it is wise to keep her maiden name in the Western country too. Using two different names could get confusing and cause problems. Is it even legal for a person to use two different last names? To have two sets of ID?

 

 

 


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