Charnchao Chaiyanukij said family feuds resulting from the lack of a will have been on the rise in Thailand, notably over properties and inheritance.

“In order to prevent problems in the future, all families should write wills. And family members should agree beforehand as to who should be the executor of the will,” he said, adding that the person must be honest and straightforward.

The permanent secretary made the comments after a report that Pranom Daengsupha, founder of the famous chilli-paste brand Maepranom, on Friday accused her eldest daughter of illegally taking control of the multi-billion-baht family business and estate.

Pranom, 80, lodged a petition with the government’s complaint-receiving centre, asking for state intervention to fix what she claims is a grave injustice.

She alleged that her eldest daughter illegally took ownership of the family business, Phiboonchai Maepranom Chilli Paste Co Ltd, and the family’s estate last year through a forged document.

Her husband passed away in 2013, after which the eldest daughter allegedly forged his power of attorney and transferred ownership of the company and the family estate to herself, according to Pranom’s petition.

Charnchao said yesterday that the authorities would have to wait for explanations from Pranom’s eldest daughter before taking further action regarding her mother’s petition.

Pranom said at a press conference yesterday that she had taken the case to court to seek an order for her eldest daughter to return her estate. In her lawsuit, she accused her eldest daughter and other co-defendants of falsifying official documents, she said.

“As a mother, I am always ready to forgive my child. I will not sue her again if she feels remorseful and returns the assets,” Pranom said during yesterday’s press conference.

She wept from time to time during the briefing.

Meanwhile, Tawicha Wangpokha, a lawyer representing Pranom’s eldest daughter Siriporn, said yesterday that Pranom had withdrawn her two previous cases filed against his client in February. However, the mother later filed another case against her daughter arguing that it was not her intention to withdraw the earlier cases, the lawyer said.

The lawyer said yesterday that Siriporn did not want to counter her mother’s allegation at the moment. A court is scheduled to hear the new case filed by Pranom early next month.