Hi everyone

IM a guy from canada been divorced now for 5 years and have been to thailand 3 times i met a great girl there and have been dating her for sometime and am now thinking of the next step which is to marry her. I have approx 350,000 baht in my cdn bank account and wish to open a small business when i am there. And since i dont have a university degree but do have college degree in canada. I dont know if it will be difficult for me to obtain a work permit. I have thought that since i would marry with her that i would have an opportunity to obtain a non immigrant o visa and this would allow me to obtain work permit that way. I dont know if i have enough money in my acct in canada to apply and im a bit confused with all the legal mumbo jumbo. Im a bit lost living where i am cause im not happy here anymore and im self employed and the type of work i do is running out and im looking for other opportunities. seeking some real advice if someone can help me out please

The chance of success for a small business is low anywhere. How much chance do you expect in a foreign country? The marriage will not provide any 'work permit' so that is a non-starter. You do not have enough money to start up a legal business AFAIK (or even cover expected initial loss) but will let others comment on that. Unless you have other talents or get very lucky teaching English may be your only option and when you say you don't have a university degree but a collage degree I wonder what you mean and if you can qualify for a work permit?

Unless your intended is going to be the income earner I would think long and hard before moving. You know Canada and can probably earn a decent living, even if you have to change jobs. Over here it will be much harder to find employment. For retirement it is fine but unless you have special knowledge/talents/other income it is not going to be an easy path to earn a living here.

Lopburi's advice is sound. To get an extended non-immigrant O visa in Thailand you need savings in a bank in Thailand of 400,000 baht, or a combination of income and savings amounting to that. As you see, it isn't going to be easy for you. Good luck with your plans.