Stay compliant in Thailand. Foreigners often get into serious trouble then they try to use "short cuts" with dodgy agents and local lawyers. Can't complain to anyone when that happens. Play it straight.

Visa agents are unaccoutable and often pay bribes. Use someone legit.

@Brandon ***********

Insurance substantially reduces the risks.

@Marty ********

Preventing foreigners from becoming a burden on the Thai state because of health problems makes sense, but if that is really the rationale isn’t proof of insurance a better way to address that risk?

@Al**

This can work, but you need to be careful about the nominee issue.

@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.