Tomtomtom69

I got up at 3am, then left home just after 4am and drove myself to Penang from Bangkok. Got there around 10pm Malaysia time. Yes, on the same day. Made 2 stops for meals along the way (second breakfast and quick lunch - dinner had to wait until I arrived in Penang). No coffee stops. Also had to basically stop and wait out the rain just after the border, it was that heavy but fortunately, didn't last long. Also a couple of periods of heavy rain starting in Prachuab Khiri Khan, which slowed things down. I've also started quite early on other trips, such as from Bangkok to Siem Reap and from Bangkok to Vientiane, Tha Khaek, Luang Prabang or Savannakhet, but those were at the more sane hour of 530 or 6am and didn't involve the same marathon distances as the drive down to Penang did. I do agree that when you're beholden to someone else's schedule, it's not so pleasant. In my case, I get up earlier, empty my bowels, have a shower, have breakfast and still (usually) manage to leave by around 6am, if I know I need to drive far and/or want to arrive at a fairly decent hour.

Yeah 1 USD is simply local speak for 40 THB or whatever it is in Kip nowadays. Such little charges are, unofficially at least, expected to be paid in either Kip or Baht. Only the actual visa fee of 40 USD is set in stone and in USD, unless you pay the higher THB price of 1800 Baht or another Kip price, which is lower than the THB one but a little higher than the USD one.

For the overtime fee, it is expected you pay this in Kip or Baht. Don't pay it in USD. The main 40 USD for the visa fee is payable in USD otherwise you'll get charged extra but the overtime fee, if any, which in my experience is not always charged during the hours they say it's applicable (often yes but not always) shouldn't be volunteered unless they tell you. It should be 40 Baht or equivalent in Kip.

Apparently, the train stops for immigration on the Thai side for 40 minutes. Is said to be smooth. Lao immigration is after you alight from the train.

Covid times? Land borders were hermetically sealed during Covid. You could get in via air only with quarantine.. I do wonder when you're talking about exactly. I've been on multiple entry O or B visas for years, never really an issue and never heard of anyone trying to extort me. Single minor issue was at Ranong where they wanted to see 20000 Baht to stamp me out. After explaining I wasn't on a border run as such, was going for tourism and to spend several days over there plus had a non O multiple entry they relented and allowed me through. I did in fact have almost 20000 Baht in cash with me for spending on my trip in Myanmar as credit cards aren't accepted there. Last year Ranong didn't say anything - the issue at the time was my Chinese colleagues needing re entry permits (on a Saturday) because they no longer have VOA at that border as it "caused too many problems". However, re entry permits for my colleagues done and dusted at 330pm and we were through. Returning the next day at lunch time, zero issues for any of us. However, with the exception of day trips to Myanmar (when the border was open), given that Myawaddy only permitted day entry without a visa, I always spend at least a night and these days it's usually minimum 2 nights outside of Thailand on any given trip and I travel more regularly than once every 90 days, generally speaking as I travel a lot for business. No hassles at all, not even at Aranyaprathet, though I always travel through land borders in my own car and at that border, if you're alone, you stamp in right there where you park your car but ONLY the driver is allowed to do this. It could be that the immigration officers, which scrutinize foreigners and have a bad reputation are the ones upstairs in the hall, which passengers of those traveling by car and anyone who is traveling on foot or public transportation has to use. Only the driver can use the outside checkpoint.

Firstly, there are some great French restaurants in Thailand. Your comparison to American fast food restaurants is bizarre. Chez Boune = been there many times. Food is quite good. Chez Boune also has a second location called Chez Boune 2, out past the roundabout leading to the bridge, heading north out of town. Chanthabouly = closed during Covid, sadly. While never busy, it was the best French restaurant in town. Lin's Cafe is a generic western/Korean Cafe. Not a French restaurant. Chez Vansom = seen it, never been inside. I think it's more of a wine bar than a restaurant, though I could be wrong. You are correct that Savannakhet actually has French food, unlike larger Pakse, where the last French restaurant closed several years ago (even before Covid).

I'd bring along all of these or whatever I'm able to obtain. If a statement from a foreign bank, just a PDF printout should be sufficient. Difficult to get anything more, unless you're in your home country. If it's from a Thai bank, a bank letter that is stamped, along with a bank book.

I agree with you on the first part.. Labor shortages in the local workforce have been artificially created. Foreigners have replaced local workers and it was done by design, not because there was an intrinsic need. This is true all over the world, whether in the west or in Thailand.

Indians are already coming in droves to work here, mostly illegally. Saw an Indian takeaway restaurant on the corner of Sukhumvit soi 22 and from outside you can make out the entirely Indian staff, maybe 10 individuals including cooks, not a single Thai to be seen. MBK's 4th floor is full of Nepalese, Indians, half Indian-Burmese (Indo-Burmese) and Indo-Nepalese with few Thais in sight. I'm talking about workers here, especially in shops selling mobile phones and related equipment. Thais own the shops but that's about it.

There are however arguments to be made in favor of what you said, regarding governments not working in favor of citizen's interests and why don't they do things like prevent foreigners from taking jobs in their countries. However, if you have a Thai family, then if the government didn't allow us to work here like you insinuate (fortunately they do) then why should/would they allow us to live here? That makes no sense. Equally, in such a situation and one where countries (including those in the west and elsewhere) stop allowing foreigners to work (except temporarily perhaps) one would need to reexamine whether it's a good idea to marry a foreigner and have a family with them as there would be untold difficulties with such a choice. One could argue that's already the case now to some extent but it would be infinitely more complicated if what you want to see happen, were to occur. If it did, then forget about the DTV or any scheme to allow foreigners in.. We'd need to divorce our Thai wives, abandon our Thai children and find wives in our own countries, have children with them and stay there, like in the good old days of yesteryear. The ways of the future are that all countries and notably Thailand too, will be forced to open up in a way never seen before. You may not believe it, but in the decades to come, Thailand will start to resemble an Asian version of the west. Given the aging population and extremely low birth rate and the country's adoption of progressive politics this is basically inevitable.

I don't understand why you were rejected. Surely it was just a case of missing a document, which you could have provided then with later and still gotten the visa

I'm in the same situation. Simply put - highly unlikely. Why would they care? Especially if you're a remote worker, the DTV just seems so much better.

You can't realistically raise a family here and work abroad. I know some people do that, but it's not a good way of living. You can't spend all your time here if you're not working unless you're retired because you'd run out of money. Most of us have to work and unless that's remote work, it will either be in Thailand or abroad. Based on your logic, international schools should discard their foreign teachers and hire Thais and thus turn international schools into Thai schools. I'm afraid that what you desire in Thailand will never happen because like the west, Thailand will become multicultural...eventually anyway. Right now the Burmese and Cambodians are coming in and they're replacing Thai workers, never to give them their jobs back (yes, many Thais don't want those jobs and/or there's a labor shortage) but it doesn't change that fact. The DTV will ensure more remote workers come in (who won't be threatening Thai jobs) while Indians are already coming in large numbers and taking all the positions at Indian restaurants and at many stalls at MBK and some other types of businesses.

NO. There are differences in how various IOs want TM30s to be done.. Some only need one done once a year or whenever their extension is due. Others need a new one each time you return from abroad or another province. This is a fact. Many IOs are going back to the dark old days of 2019 and doing things the harshest possible way, because they can. Nothing you say changes that. Maybe your IO is more flexible. Others are stricter.

What are you talking about? Each immigration office has different rules on the TM30. Some require a new one each and every time you've spent time in another province and are resuming residence at your usual place. Others only when you come back from a trip abroad (including a short border run). Others still, in both cases. There's no general rule like you claim.

It is. Sending an email that has nothing to do with Thailand is hugely different from selling jewelry presumably to clients within Thailand. The latter is clearly working from Thailand. She got caught for making Thailand look bad. As you probably know, defamation is a criminal offense in Thailand and foreigners that make the country look bad are deported. The easiest way to do so, is find something else to charge them with, because it's an automatic and quick deportation that way. She was also blacklisted by the way. Essentially all for saying bad things about the Kingdom.

The Chinese vlogger defamed Thailand in one of her YouTube videos. She also sold jewelry online and hence that was the easiest way of getting rid of her. I don't know if she sold the jewelry to Chinese living in Thailand or only to those in China but this activity clearly goes beyond what a digital nomad is supposed to do as she was physically involved in carrying out tangible activities that would be considered work (such as mailing items to clients) and accepting payment for them. VERY different to someone working from their bedroom or home office on a desktop or laptop, writing emails and holding Zoom meetings for a foreign company, not otherwise getting into trouble with Thai law and obviously NOT engaging in illegal activities such as operating an online gambling operation.

I don't think anyone has ever been deported for online work based outside of Thailand for a non-Thai company UNLESS there were other circumstances involved. For example, an illegal boiler room, scam center, illegal online narcotic sales, illegal gambling operation that sort of thing. Or if you are a YouTuber and defamed Thailand but were also caught selling jewelry online, some of it within Thailand (which is clearly working here) that sort of thing..

Based on what? There's nothing to suggest a DTV holder won't be able to secure a certificate of residency through immigration (although some embassies still issue these) or more importantly given what I just stated, obtain a drivers license renewal. Of course I can't be 100% sure, but I don't think they'll treat the DTV like a tourist visa especially with its long validity.

Why? Have you ever heard of an immigrant working in the west being replaced by a local down the line? Nope, immigrants stay forever, bring their families and eventually push us natives out of a job. Not saying that's how Thailand should do it, but this notion that an expat should only be able to work here for a limited period and then be replaced by locals is pretty sad. You wouldn't be able to have a future here. Wouldn't be able to have a family unless you brought them all to your country.

Thais don't live in condos. They live in these great dwellings called houses.

Chinese citizens barely use cash anymore. It's all QR codes now. Very difficult to use cash in China these days.

I doubt it. The fact it's a 5 year visa indicates they are happy to have people use it for de facto residence. With the non-O or non-B multiple entry 1 year visas, you can effectively live in Thailand by doing border runs (or better yet) spend a couple of days out of country every 2-3 months then return (you get 90 days on each reentry). Has never been an issue and no questions asked. Only Ranong is sometimes a little fussy (they'll let you in, but might at first ask for 20000 Baht but if you pushback and show them your non O or non B they'll stop asking). I think it will be the same with this visa, especially if you're spending a few days out of country every few months with the occasional 2 or 3 week absence.

WHY did you fail? Surely they would have told you what documents you were missing?

Why were you rejected? Assuming you had the 500000 Baht or equivalent in a foreign or Thai bank account and could meet the other easy to meet requirements, it sounds like a piece of cake.