JackThompson

... I would be surprised that Laos decides cut off the visa runners tourism business which makes out a lot of income for a place that does not have much appeal, unless Chinese tourists suddenly discover a new found passion for Laos, then its over..

This could go either way. As it stands, most of us only have to go there every 6 months. Maybe that will become every 3 months, IF they will specify exactly what they want to see as "proof of income" vis-a-vis the "blue stamp".

If they do not do this, then the other nations will get most of our traveling bucks, instead - as we rotate through various SE Asian nations. Many under-50s will also give up and take their foreign-sourced income elsewhere. I love Thailand, so will stick it out as long as there is a sensible way.

A new passport does not erase your history from the Thai immigration computers.

But it does "erase" what a Thai consulate sees, when they look at your passport, when deciding whether or not to give you a visa. This has been a documented, working method to obtain new visas from Laos and elsewhere for years. Granted, that might change at some point - but there is no case of which I am aware, where this method has failed.

But always have money to show when re-entering Thailand, most especially if you have a long history of living here, as you are then dealing with the immigration-computer system, which has that complete history.

Can you tell me how a Thai digital nomad can gain easy access/entry to the USA ?

First way: Enter the country, legally or illegally, and stay in one of the many "sanctuary cities" that do not cooperate with immigration enforcement. You can work online easily, but can also buy fake-documents to work for American companies, as the validity of documents is not checked, and foreigners are not prosecuted for this crime. In many states, you can even get a drivers license, while illegal, and live a perfectly "normal" life. Your children born in the USA become automatic citizens, too, unlike every other industrialized nation on Earth, and then become a vehicle to apply for citizenship.

Second way: apply for a job which requires an H1-B visa. There are twice as many American citizens graduating with Science/Tech/Engineering/Mathematics (STEM) degrees, than available jobs, but foreigners are prioritized by business for hiring, in order to keep wages at about 1/2 of what these jobs paid in the past.

Thailand is much more strict with foreigners than the USA - and I respect this. I hope anyone who takes jobs from Thais gets caught, prosecuted, and deported. A government's duty is to protect the well-being of its own citizens - not foreign nationals. But also note, that in the case in Chang Mai, those caught working for foreign entities, bringing money into Thailand, were not prosecuted.

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1. can do METVs back to back as long as you have the funds in your bank account

2. (**my edit - for all so far, must "go home" to get these**)

3. 'proof of a job' this could be showing monthly X income instead of one lump sum, like for retirement visa extensions you can show 40k/mo instead of 80k - but we don't see this on the Norway one, and others make reference to 'entrepeneurs' so those who work for themselves (digital nomads) will have some way of explaining what they do to support themselves

To me the above is more likely. I don't think Thailand wants digital nomads out, I think they want illegal workers (which are only those working IN Thailand, actually) and criminals out.

IMO. Getting back to back METV's from your home country will be difficult because they appear, based on limited information, to be wanting to issue these only to people that have jobs or businesses to go back to. Surely anyone getting back to back METV's would need to explain how they can do their job or operate their business without working in Thailand. I expect the number of back to back applications will be limited.

You don't see online working as illegal and yet you are already seem to be thinking of ways to obtain a tourist visa without disclosing your work activities when in Thailand. How is a digital nomad going to explain how they will not be working at their business whilst in Thailand and not breaking the terms of a tourist visa?

I am late 40s, too, so in the same boat as some earlier posters in these METV threads. I am not going to fork over a pile of cash up for the "elite" plan, which literally torches a lot of money - all up-front. For those who feel they have money to burn, go for it, but I'd rather invest in something that pays dividends, or even put that into a condo of questionable-risk, which will be worth more than zero, later (if you loose 50%, you are still 50% ahead of a taking a zippo to your money).

As to proof of income whilst not working illegally, most "Digital Nomads" operate under a business name in their home country. That business pays them money, so they can easily show proof of business ownership and income. Many IT businesses do not require the owner "work" to keep the cash coming in - they can hire contractors. And fortunately, neither Norway or Berlin (Germany) ask for "proof of job" - only that you have $7000 -> $8000 in the bank. The USA is generally treated well by Thailand, so hopefully we get similar terms (if our visiting reps will keep their traps shut re: their opinion of the current government).

I am not thrilled about blowing ~$700 to fly to Hawaii every ~9 months, but that is still a workable option. I've lived in Cambodia and the Philippines - nice folks there - but just Not The Same as Thailand, so I come back and deal with this rigamorole.

Worst case, it looks like doing the "every 3 months" routine - with each fresh passport, going "merry-go-round" from the hardest to easiest "single entry TV" consulates, (1-Cambodia, 1-Vietnam, 1-Penang, 1-Bali, 2-Lao* - new PP, rinse, repeat).

One last thing, about Thialand "not needing nomads" - consider just 10,000 of them putting 70,000+ Baht / mo (minimum) into the economy for a year; it does add up to real money (8.4 Billion Baht). Just ask the businesses, and rural-families of their girlfriends, who depend on them.

* - For the record, I only got 1 double and 1 single with blue-stamp from Lao, after being out of country for 7 months. Those old-stamps still played a role, regardless of "breaking the cycle". If they would define the requirements, I would simply keep going back and show my Bangkok book with all income coming from abroad - but I've yet to read any account stating what they want to see (or "has worked"), and do not wish to be "stuck" outside Thailand, with my life back in my condo here, so it is "new passport" time.