@Bra****

Foreigners cannot own land in Thailand. Its a stupid restriction and some foreigners try to get around it by simply putting the land in the name of a spouse. But putting land in the name of a spouse - without any restrictions - is generally a stupid idea anywhere.

@Brandon ********

Not if its separate property. This is true even in California. Just make sure to document that the asset or source of funds used to buy the assets was separate property. Its worth hiring a lawyer beforehand to do so.

Negative reviews are dangerous in Thailand. An American wrote a negative review of a hotel restaurant in Koh Chang on Trip Advisor and was jailed. The story made the New York Times, Bangkok Post and the Manchester Guardian (see link to article from the Manchester Guardian). The New York Times is now doing a series of articles on the draconian use of Thai criminal defamation laws. Its a serious and dangerous problem. %20American%20man%20is%20facing,the%20country%27s%20harsh%20defamation%20laws.

FYI On notaries in Thailand generally and why "Thai notaries" cannot validate or otherwise confirm any document. They are useless and the Thai government knows this, but some foreign governments don't quite understand this. /23/no-notary-publics-in-thailand-at-least-as-that-term-is-understood-by-any-lawyer-or-business-owner-outside-of-thailand/

This is what the US Embassy says on its website: Effective January 1, 2019, the United States Embassy in Bangkok and the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai will no longer provide an income affidavit and will not notarize previous versions of the income affidavit...

Because the U.S. government has no means of confirming a U.S. citizen’s income, a notarized affidavit from the U.S. Embassy has never met the requirement to prove a minimum income level for a non- immigrant “O”, “O-A”, or “O-X” long-term stay visa. There are other methods for U.S. citizens to demonstrate they are eligible for this Thai visa category.

@Fr***

I don’t see how any Embassy can provide or even be expected to provide an affidavit of income. Embassies don’t have any information on the income of their nationals here. This is why the U.S. Embassy no longer provides affidavits of income.

A high level overview I wrote a few years ago. Not much has changed since I wrote this. /27/facing-the-foreign-business-act/

@I**

100% ownership of a company under the UA - Thai Amity Treaty. Through that company you could apply for a work permit and visa but conditions apply.

@Colin *********

Even if no health insure is required, isn’t it prudent to have health insurance readily accepted by Thai hospitals if you are 73?

Your employees need work permits and the right visas. It does not matter if you call them “chefs” or “cooks”.

You need to set up a company, properly and fully comply with all corporate formalities and that company needs to comply with the Foreign Business Act (FBA), which means majority Thai majority ownership (no nominees allowed). Maybe these laws are “racist” or overly nationalistic, but the comments here are not.

Violations of the FBA and Thai work permit laws are criminal matters. If you are competing with Thais (say, Thai-Indians (many here in Bangkok) they may see your business as unwanted competition and press the authorities to enforce these laws against you and your employees aggressively. Consult a competent and honest lawyer; not a a fixer.

It does not matter what “many foreigners” here are doing here in catering and other fields. its still illegal and those foreigners are subject to arrest, imprisonment, fines and deportation - or, and perhaps more likely still since they are engaged in criminal conduct - blackmail and extortion. What do you think the under the table payments to officials are?

And finally, don’t expect help from you Embassy when you are caught.