Before making a will: prepare your wishes and information for the drafting consultation

Start with the will-maker's own wishes

Before arranging for a lawyer to draft a will, write in plain language what you want to address and why, such as naming recipients for particular assets or making records easier to find after death. The Bureau of Registration Administration's guide explains that a will expresses wishes to take effect on death and must follow a legally prescribed form. Consultation notes help explain intentions, but should not be treated as a valid will merely because they have been written and signed.

List assets and matters that remain uncertain

Identify the assets or rights you want to discuss, with available supporting records and their custodians. Flag jointly held assets, matters involving a spouse, business-owned assets and debts for legal review. Using an asset or appearing on one document does not establish that you can leave all of it to someone. If the basis of ownership is unclear, mark it for checking rather than inserting guessed values or shares.

Identify intended recipients and consider changes to the plan

Prepare names and information needed to identify intended recipients, rather than relying only on potentially shared nicknames. Explain whether you intend to leave a specific item or a share, and which decisions remain open. Ask the lawyer how to address a future sale of the asset, a beneficiary dying first or assets acquired later. Do not copy conditions from an online template without understanding their possible effects.

Disclose earlier wills and agreements before drafting

If you have made wills before, gather all available versions, identify who holds the originals and explain any amendments. Include agreements or asset documents that may be related. Do not provide only the version you believe still applies, or destroy or alter an original on the assumption that a new draft always removes the effect of earlier documents. Have the lawyer examine their relationship and the appropriate procedure first.

Discuss form and signing separately from content

Once your wishes and assets are recorded, the appropriate form and execution steps still require review for the actual circumstances. Ask who must attend, what evidence is needed and how the writer, witnesses or communication requirements should be handled. Disclose difficulty reading, writing, travelling or communicating in advance so suitable arrangements can be considered. Do not assign beneficiaries to roles on the assumption that anyone can perform them, or sign before understanding the procedure.

Agree safekeeping and reasons to review the plan

Ask where the original should be held, who should know its location and how to seek a review when assets or family circumstances change. Separate information needed to locate assets from passwords and account-access details that should not go into a general document pack. B Law Firm lists will-drafting services on its website, so these notes can support an initial consultation. The document's effect and limitations require case-specific review; making a will does not guarantee prevention of every dispute.

References

• Bureau of Registration Administration: registration guide, wills section (Thai)
• B Law Firm: will drafting and estate services (Thai)