I think of getting a DTV and would like to know if anyone here has ever had problems at immigration with a DTV.
In 2019, I was entering Thailand on a METV and immigration pulled me aside and asked for a flight out. The nice thing about METV is that you don't have to provide proof of leaving; once I'm in Thailand I can take my time to figure out where and when I want to go. However I didn't discuss this point with IO, she would have found another requirement that is more difficult to fulfill. On my phone, I booked a flight out and got stamped in. My point is that visa does not guarantee entry. But then what's the point of a visa? I submit more documents when applying, and the embassy takes more time to check, and still an IO can deny me entry.
Before Covid, I have been up to 8 months per year in Thailand on TV. Since Covid, I have been in Thailand mostly on VE, up to 180 days per year in Thailand with visa runs in SEAsia of 1-2 months each and 2-4 months in summer in Germany. I have been taken aside a few times (on average five entries no problem, one entry some questions) and would rather get a DTV or use safe entry before I ever get denied entry.
I am here purely for holiday, have the money fund my stay, but don't qualify for any of the visas. Not even for DTV (I'm not remote working and not interested in soft skills), but I'm sure an agency can help me with that.
I realize the absurdity of the situation: I come here with money to spend on hotels, restaurants, travel, museums, national parks, temples. If you asked the last 10 Thai I interacted with, 11 would say: Mr Christian, please come again. Yet I have to worry about problems at immigration.