anrcaccount

Yes, certainty/peace of mind is the major benefit, as you and another poster well articulated. For anyone SURE they want to stay in Thailand, for a long time (5+ years), it's a great option. For anyone who isn't certain they will stay for a long time, there are now better options.

Please, can we not turn this thread into another tax debate. There are many of those already.

500K THB equivalent is only required at time of application. It can be in a foreign account, or a Thai bank. For extensions ( if required, alternatively just exit / re enter withing the 180 day stay to get another 180 days) it is unclear whether any financial prof is required, currently it says nothing about that. Employment is not required under the "soft power" purpose provisions, only for the "workcation" ones.

Incorrect. It's a 5 year multi entry visa. 180 days per STAY, unlimited entries / exits during the visa validity period. Each stay can be extended for another 180 days meaning up to 360 days consecutively in TH. 360 days is not cumulative. Each entry is 180 days, meaning if you leave every 6 months, you don't need extensions at all.

Well said. Outside of a handful of fringe cases, there's zero enforcement, desire for enforcement, or any consequences, for anyone remote working in Thailand, on any visa type. There are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people working remotely in Thailand, every day, and have been for many years, on all types of visas.

Correct. No catch. TH wants more long term visitors and is relaxing visa requirements to make it easier for them to stay.

Good question. I have seen on other forums reports of applications using these I.e a single doctors appointment, but yet to see a confirmed approval. I believe the soft power reasons will be valid and many,many DTVs will be issued for those purposes. Likely to be even more simple than proving "workcation" purposes.

There are multiple reports of approvals coming in, just not from this forum. Ones I have seen so far are for "workcation", remote work purposes. Will be interesting to see the "soft power" purposes approvals, where this visa is granted for a single doctors appointment or a cooking class!

Only for the application.

Yes, assume that is the case.

I cannot answer some of your questions, but I can confirm reports of people currently inside Thailand applying for AND being granted the DTV, to be clear, while being in Thailand . One case via Hong Kong. You would obviously need to leave Thailand and re enter using the DTV. I cannot comment on the mechanics of your existing business visa, whether you need to cancel it or not etc. I'm pretty sure an in-country conversion is NOT possible, but am not 100% certain on this.

Based on the wording, it looks that way.

If literal 'throughout' implies you must maintain 500k thb for the duration of the visa Yeah it translates as that but in reality, it'll be checked upon application and then not again. LTR has a similar clause but holders exit / enter the country freely every day and nothing is checked. The only practical time they may ask for the proof of 500k is upon extensions. If this is an issue for a DTV holder they simply don't extend and just exit re enter, or by then I'm sure a myriad of agents will have a a solution for proof of funds. Absolutely nothing to be concerned about.

Correct! I'll also take the risk of sounding repetitive: "Unlimited entries in a 5 year period. Each entry, 180 days stay,( unless you reach the end of the 5 years e.g. enter 30 days before the end of the 5 years, stay permission stamp only valid 30 days until end of the visa) Each stay can be extended at local immigration(if required), for an additional 180 days. After 360 days consecutively, you would have to leave and re enter. However if you left after say 150 days, on re entry you get 180 days."

Unlimited entries in a 5 year period. Each entry, 180 days stay,( unless you reach the end of the 5 years e.g. enter 30 days before the end of the 5 years, stay permission stamp only valid 30 days until end of the visa) Each stay can be extended at local immigration(if required), for an additional 180 days. After 360 days consecutively, you would have to leave and re enter. However if you left after say 150 days, on re entry you get 180 days.

In the past what you say was correct, but this user here summed it up here in this related thread: (gazette states stamps are now not to exceed the visa validity):

Not what immigration are saying. Agree LivingLOS, it is quite simple. Unlimited entries in a 5 year period. Each entry, 180 days stay,( unless you reach the end of the 5 years e.g. enter 30 days before the end of the 5 years, stay permission stamp only valid 30 days until end of the visa) Each stay can be extended at local immigration(if required), for an additional 180 days. After 360 days consecutively, you would have to leave and re enter. However if you left after say 150 days, on re entry you get 180 days. Cost of extension will be 1900 as per every other extension, but has been reported at 10000, I believe this will prove to be incorrect. BKK Immigration stated extensions at 1900. Tax is a separate discussion, which should be had on separate threads.

That's fair, I completely understand. But you wouldn't be on either of those categories ("LTR WFTP category or any EOR") , I assume LTR wealthy pensioner , in which case yes, certainly best visa for that situation.

Nothing is written - but please, do not turn this thread into another debate on tax, we have far too many of those already. My fault for bringing the T word in though! On your other point, BOI don't grant work permits for the WFT P LTR category, as they are working for a foreign entity. This is the closest LTR equivalent category to the new DTV.

You're correct. Credible sources report now an extension is the normal 1900 as are all extensions, applied for at the tourist visa extension counter. Not 10000 per extension.

I understand your position but I believe this DTV is equally as legitimate for "working online" as the equivalent LTR category (Working from Thailand Professionals), and also even more legitimate than the various Employer of Record or Umbrella companies that operate. Outside of the dubiously worded, up for debate and non enforced foreign tax exemption.....I cannot see a single reason now why anyone would use either the LTR WFTP category or any EOR, now the DTV exists.

Good work OP. Looks like a very simple bar to cross with many ways to do so. Others have applied with a single doctors appointment under the soft power provisions- I believe they'll be accepted too, but we'll see. I think this will also tempt many existing retirement and marriage extension holders ( provided they happy to leave the country once a year) surely much less work each year, and no $ tied up in thai bank accounts or monthly inbounds, and cost over 5 years is about the same. MUCH less paperwork and no dealings with immigration or agents needed. At this point, the DTV really looks an absolute game changer in Thai Visas.

Sure, they could, if you take that assumption ( although I would argue that was due to Immigration having a 'sometime' policy that Ed visas were/are being "abused", which isn't relevant for the DTV - given it seems to exist for the purpose of opening the floodgates to many types of new visitors ) , however as I said, there is no mention of any ongoing checks or validity requirements. Time will tell, if that's actually the case.

Yes, that's how it works. Unlimited entries in 5 years. 180 days stay each entry.

Yes. You get it. The soft power definition as written, is extremely broad and could include a music concert, a single medical appointment, a single thai cooking class, and many, many other things Time will tell if these are accepted. IMO what the DTV really is, is a 5 year Multiple Entry Tourist Visa, allowing stays of up to 180 days each entry, easily extendible or rest on re entry.