Builder's Thai Ex-Girlfriend Battles Sons Over £400,000 Inheritance

A legal battle has erupted over the £400,000 fortune of a British builder, as his two sons face off against his former Thai girlfriend in an international court dispute. Roger Burrage, who spent much of his later years in Thailand, constructed a luxury three-bedroom villa on the Malay Peninsula, valued at up to £240,000, before passing away in the UK in 2023.

During his time in Thailand, Mr. Burrage was in a relationship with Kanokporn Nattachai, a 40-year-old beautician, who moved into his villa in Hua Hin. The property, set on more than 3,000 sqm of land, boasts an outdoor pool, guest house, games room, and stunning mountain views. Upon his death at the age of 75, Mr. Burrage left his estate to his two sons, Simon and David, while Ms. Nattachai was given the villa where they had lived together.

However, last week, Ms. Nattachai traveled to London to launch legal action against his sons in the High Court, claiming she is entitled to half of his estate—an estimated £400,000. She argues that Mr. Burrage owed her nearly £200,000 before his death, but alternatively, she is seeking a similar sum, asserting that he had promised to support her financially.

Simon, a building surveyor, and David, a carpenter, dispute the claim, stating that their father and Ms. Nattachai were no longer in a relationship in his final years. They insist he had already been generous to her, gifting her their former home and assisting in financing or facilitating the purchase of her beauty salon.

The court heard that Mr. Burrage, a widower, relocated to Thailand from Surrey and, drawing on his experience in construction, became involved in the local property market. His sons acknowledge that he was in a relationship with Ms. Nattachai from around 2016 and that they lived together but claim the relationship ended before he returned to the UK in 2021.

After struggling with mental health issues, Mr. Burrage tragically took his own life in January 2023. Following his passing, Ms. Nattachai launched multiple claims in the High Court. In legal filings, she asserts that nearly £200,000 in payments made to Mr. Burrage before his death were business loans that should be repaid from his estate. If unsuccessful in this claim, she is seeking a £200,000 payout, arguing that his will did not provide her with adequate financial support.

The case reached court last week after the brothers sought a "security for costs" order, requesting that Ms. Nattachai cover legal fees upfront. The judge, Master Julia Clark, ruled in favor of the order, with full details to be provided at a later date.

Broadgate Legal