What You Should Know About Debt Inheritance in Thailand您應該知道的關於泰國債務繼承

When a person passed away, the heirs inherit rights and duties from the deceased. According to Section 1600 under Thai Civil and Commercial Code (“CCC”), “subject to the provisions of this Code, the estate of a deceased includes his/her properties of every kind, as well as his/her rights, duties and liabilities, except those which by law or by their nature are purely personal to him/her”. In other words, the heirs not only inherit the assets but also the debts.

當一人過世，其繼承人承受被繼承人之一切權利與義務。依據《泰國民商法》(下稱“CCC”)第1600條之規定，“除本法另有規定外，亡者之遺產包括其一切財產及其權利、義務與負擔，惟依法或其性質屬於專屬於本人者，不在此限”。換言之，繼承人所承受者，不僅包括資產，亦包括債務。

The following are common conditions the heirs meets when checking on assets and debts of the deceased:

下列為繼承人在查核被繼承人之資產與債務時，常見之情形：

(1)      If the deceased has debts but no assets:

倘被繼承人有債務而無資產

Heirs have no obligation to repay any debts. According to Section 1601 under CCC, “an heir shall not be liable in excess of the property devolving on him/her”.

繼承人對任何債務均無清償義務。依據CCC第1601條之規定， “繼承人對於債務之負擔，以其所承受之遺產價額為限”。

(2)      If the Assets exceed the debts:

    倘資產超過債務

Debts must be paid off first, then the remaining assets can be divided among heirs.

應先清償全部債務，其餘剩餘財產始得由繼承人依法分配。

Rights and duties that are “purely personal” in nature does not devolve as part of the inheritance. These include rights or duties based on specific qualifications, professional skills, or the element of personal trust. Examples include the right to government medical benefits, the duties of an employee under an employment contract, or the obligation of a painter to create a commissioned artwork.

具有「專屬性」性質之權利與義務，不構成遺產之部分而移轉。此類權利或義務係基於特定資格、專業技能或人格信任關係而生。例子包括受領政府醫療福利之權利、勞動契約下之員工義務，或畫家創作受託藝術品之義務。

Who are the heirs of a deceased? According to Section 1603 under CCC, “an estate devolves on the heirs by statutory right or by will. Heirs who are so entitled by law are called ‘statutory heirs'. Heirs who are entitles by will are called ‘legatees'”. If the deceased does not have a will, the statutory heirs are divided by six classes according to Section 1629 under CCC:

誰為被繼承人之繼承人?依據CCC第1603條之規定， “遺產依據法定權利或遺囑轉移予繼承人。 依法享有權利之繼承人稱為「法定繼承人」；依遺囑享有權利者，稱為「受遺贈人」”。倘被繼承人未立有遺囑，依CCC第1629條之規定，法定繼承人分為六類如下：

1) descendants;

直系血親卑親屬

2) parents;

父母

3) brothers and sisters of full blood;

同父同母之兄弟姊妹

4) brothers and sisters of half blood;

同父異母或同母異父之兄弟姊妹

5) grandparents;

祖父母

6) uncles and aunts.

叔、伯、姑、舅、姨

The surviving spouse is also a statutory heir, subject to the special provisions of Section 1635 under CCC.

倖存之配偶亦為法定繼承人，但應依CCC第1635條之特別規定辦理。

According to the law, to help the heirs to divide the inheritance as quickly as possible; therefore, determined that the creditor must sue the money from the estate within 1 year since the deceased's deity or know that the deceased's died. Which normally when the debtor dies, creditors should know because the debtor is lacking to send interest. When the interest is not paid, then the creditors must have a follow-up and will make the creditor know that the debtor has died.

依據法律規定，為協助繼承人儘速分割遺產，爰明定債權人須自被繼承人過世之日起，或自知悉被繼承人過世之日起一年內，向遺產提起請求之訴。通常於債務人過世時，債權人應可得而知，蓋債務人將無法繼續給付利息。於利息未獲清償時，債權人即應進行催告或追償程序，並因而得知債務人業已過世。

On the other hand, if the creditor does not know and there is evidence to prove, then the creditors can sue within 10 years; however, if it has been over 10 years, the creditor cannot be able to sue. If the heir has already divided the inheritance, creditors must sue all the heirs who have been divided into an inheritance. The creditor cannot sue only one of the heirs because each heir is responsible for the debt equal to or not exceeding the inheritance received from the estate.

另一方面，如債權人不知被繼承人已過世，且有證據足資證明者，得於十年內提起訴訟；惟逾十年者，不得再行起訴。倘繼承人已完成遺產分割，債權人應對所有已受分配遺產之繼承人一併提起訴訟，不得僅對其中一人起訴。蓋各繼承人就債務所負之責任，以其自遺產中所實際受領之財產價額為限，不得逾越該受領之範圍。

If an Administrator of the Estate is appointed by court, creditors must submit their claims to the administrator. The administrator is legally responsible for collecting assets, settling all outstanding debts from the estate, and subsequently distributing the remaining inheritance to the heirs according to the law.

若法院選任遺產管理人，債權人須向該管理人申報其債權。遺產管理人在法律上負有蒐集遺產資產、以遺產清償所有未償債務，並隨後依據法律將剩餘遺產分配予繼承人之責任。

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