Benefits of changing to married name on Thai ID card?

caller

Now that I'm a married, albeit temporarily seperated man, I've been giving some thought to what the wife should do?

The original and current plan is for my wife to change her family name on her ID card to my, non-Thai one.

However, I'm just wondering what the pluses and minuses may be of leaving it as it is instead of changing it?

And whether these will vary dependant on whether you live in LOS or your home Couintry?

Or is this a non-question?

Thanks for any advice,

Caller

prcscct · Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:42 pm Post subject:

It's a big question, depending upon where you will live and what your goals are concerning housing etc., if you decide to live here. You've seen the "property" posts of late I hope. I'm absolutely convinced that given the current climate in this country about many issues, let here keep her Thai last name on her Thai ID for now, IF you are coming here to live. If you're staying where you live now for the better part of the rest of your lives, it's not an issue, change it if it makes you both happy. Be flexible though, things change, you can change the name later easily here if that is what is best for you at any given time.

It's a difficult question Caller but, not a "non question". Confusing answer from me.....you're right. You need to think about your future plans, here or there? Pete

Wanderlust · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 2:14 am Post subject:

By law, she is supposed to change it within (I think) 60 days of getting married. no ifs or buts. However the penalty for not doing so is a paltry fine, if it is ever discovered. For me, the fact that my soon-to-be ex-wife did not change her ID card has cost me about 80,000 baht, as she has refused to give me a divorce quoting wanting to retain her original name on the ID card as the reason, forcing me (despite being separated for over 3 years and having given her over a million baht as part of a divorce settlement) to go to court again to get a one sided divorce. My advice is - make her change it as the name means nothing legally - she is a Thai national one way or another, and it doesn't matter where you live. This would not be an issue if you were Thai, so why should it be because you are a farang? I assume you have paid some sort of dowry so you have every right to insist that she takes your name - end of story.

caller · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 2:23 am Post subject:

I think Pete read my mind on this one! bow

But Wanderlusts post has provided info I guess I should have known, but didn't!

I was also considering the merits of a name change on the wifes passport and ID for UK spouse visa purposes. although I would like to think that is all covered in any case - will find out soon.

Although the longer term plan - not too far ahead - is to relocate to LOS!

Confused? I know I am! Razz

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lomuamart · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:49 am Post subject:

My wife changed her name straight after getting married. I've just asked her whether she had to change it and she said no, it was just something she wanted to do. Not saying you're wrong Wanderlust as she could well be and I simply don't know.
I was happy with that decision as I felt it was better for future visa applications (for both of us) to have the ID card and now passport name the same as mine. The thought of property dosn't come in to our equation as it wasn't anything that I would have considered even before the current debates. As an aside, I thought either party could apply for a divorce if the parties had been seperated for a year. Show that and names mean nothing - again I've probably got it wrong, but after looking into it on behalf of someone else a while ago, that's the information I was given.
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lomuamart · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:53 am Post subject:

Thinking about the divorce thing again, I've just realised that the advice was given to a Thai lady who's husband had deserted her 4 years previously. So, quite conceivably a totally different situation from Wanderlust's.
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"I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered". George Best.

Wanderlust · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:27 am Post subject:

lomu,
Essentially the divorce situation is the same, except that my ex had already agreed to divorce and signed an agreement as I already stated. However when it came to actually going to the office to do the deed, the office would not do it because she still had her ID card in her original name. They told her that she had to go and change it to her married name first (which had to be done where her ID card was issued from, in this case, Surin- it has subsequently been changed to Kanchanaburi) and then come back and divorce, then go again to change it again! She refused to do this, and at the time I wasn't that bothered - we agreed that we would do it at a more convenient time. However, over 3 years later she had changed her mind and refuses to go and get divorced, hence I am now having to go to court in Kanchanaburi (4 trips for my Bangkok lawyer) which will eventually get me a one sided divorce. I think I could have found another cheaper lawyer but after my earlier experiences with a con man lawyer I would rather use this guy as he won my earlier court case. I hope that clarifies things a bit more.

silverbird · Member Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 51

[quote="caller"]Now that I'm a married, albeit temporarily seperated man, I've been giving some thought to what the wife should do?

The original and current plan is for my wife to change her family name on her ID card to my, non-Thai one.

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After I married my thai wife I changed my name instead. To me it feels fine as I intend to live in LOS for the rest of my life. We have got a lot of good comments from our farang as well as thai friends.

Wanderlust · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:56 pm Post subject:

prcscct · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject:

Talking about Thai ID cards. I saw one of the new ones with the magnetic data strip on the back last night. It also had the person's Thai name in English? She didn't know if this was optional but said "they just did it...". Anyone else know about this? Pete

caller · Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 4:07 am Post subject:

Can't answer Pete's question, but it turns out that my question was a "non-question" after all!

The wife proudly informed me - and surprised me - earlier today, that she has changed her ID card so that her family name is now the same as mine!

Isn't that lovely! Very Happy

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silverbird · Member Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 51

[quote="Wanderlust"]

Wanderlust · Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:56 pm Post subject:

silverbird,
No worries about late replies! The only thing that should be done then is that your wife's ID card needs to show that she is married (a legal requirement) although that will only ever be an issue if you were to ever break up because to get a divorce her ID card needs to show her as married (different to changing the name)! I very much doubt that banks or such like would be concerned about it, although maybe if you were to try and open a joint account? Someone else would be better qualified to answer that.

silverbird · Member Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 51

silverbird · Member Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 51