Koh Samui, Koh Samet, Rayong, Trat, Koh Chang.

@Ryan ***

Not if you are American and use the Treaty of Amity to set up a legitimate company. Can be owned 100%. Requires no Thai partner.

If you are an American Citizen, look up Treaty of Amity. An American can own a business 100% and "Not" need a Thai business partner. There is a monetary requirement of 2+ million baht plus other stipulations.

As others have pointed out, you do need to have close personal contact with the Thai companies you plan on doing business with. Once again, view the Treaty of Amity. If you are not American, disregard this response.

@David *********

I couldn't agree more.

Under the Treaty of Amity I have been able to own various small businesses 100%. As a result I have filed both business and individual tax returns. Local taxing authorities are seldom up on any substantive or nuanced rule changes, well publicized or not. I have witnessed many businesses ruined by the powers that be.

@Michael ******

Not if they are deemed nonassessable by the DTV.

@Don *****

Hopefully, you are correct. But correct me if I am wrong. It is the Thai government and individual tax offices capable of misinterpreting and modifying tax regulations which will be the final arbiter of what actually unfolds, and not the SSA in the USA. Just as the embassies, consulates, and individual immigration offices routinely interpret, misinterpret, change, modify, or make regulations and requirements more stringent regarding visa categories and extensions, nothing is stopping several hundred individual tax offices from doing the same. You are correct, though.

Currently there is not a box on the Thai Income Tax Form for nonassessable income.

@David *********

Never stated anything about going to prison. I basically stated that Americans covered by the DTV who receive government pensions have nothing to worry about regarding bringing in funds from the USA. I also sarcastically suggested that one should file a tax return, with the emphasis on should...followed by a wink emoji and a shhh! emoji.

That was sarcasm. Sorry you missed it, but then again, you are not originally from the USA, are you?

@Jim *******

We will see if that remains the case and I hope that you are correct. Just as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides guidelines for all visa types, individual embassies and consulates have no problem in modifying the requirements or interpreting the requirements differently. Oftentimes, individual embassies and consulates make the requirements more stringent than intended. Likewise, look how individual immigration policies for extensions of stay for the various categories of visitors varies from office to office, or for that matter within an office. With literally hundreds of local tax offices one shudders to think how these entities will interpret or misinterpret the national regulations.

But you are correct. Current tax forms do not presently have a box for nonassessable income. Hopefully, it will stay that way. Thanks for the heads-up.

@Kool ******

Military retirement can come as early as age 38 if the service member completes 20 years of active duty from the time of first entering the military at age 18. Many Americans retire to the Philippines following 20 years of active duty. By age 48 one could accrue a much bigger military retirement with 30 years of active duty.

Proving the source of the military retirement would be simple enough.

Whether the person meets the financial requirements for a DTV, Elite, or LTR visa being under 50 is another issue entirely.

@Don *****

Sections 20 and 21 of the DTA between the USA and Thailand cover these benefits. By treaty, these government pensions are nonassessable income. Although theoretically you should not be taxed as nonasseable income is nontaxable, you are still required to file a tax return.😉🤫