JoeyMac

He loves tourism. More people into the country, the better for real estate. To hell with local Thai people. Either he isn't aware of the problems that an open door immigration policy will bring, or he is just a wrong one. Allowing the world to just enter Thailand, in a developing nation, where many are suffering a low GDP per person. However, the population is content, due to affordable living standard, and most importantly homes are still there for people to live in at affordable costs. His policies will directly hurt the local Thai people by pushing up rents, making things become unaffordable, which will then see a demand for more wages, which will push costs onto consumers. Complete lack of experience. He seems unaware he is leading a developing nation, not a fully fledged global economic super power.

Genuine question - can anyone think of anything he has achieved that benefits Thai lives, other than using tax payers money to give them a handout - which ironically the people of Thailand will have to pay back to cover the massive cost. Any standout policy that has improved Thai lives, or something you see on the horizon? Anything internationally he has achieved? He let in loads of Russians (which drove up rents in Phuket, and put Thai's out of work as Russians took over). Has he taken on China over the massive deficit in trade between the two, which seemingly is only benefitting China? Not really, he just opened the border to let more Chinese in. Is the economy in great shakes? Not really. Has he addressed pollution? The mess that is leaving Chiang Mai as the most polluted city in the world every few months. Not a single thing has addressed the problem to stop that, just a few little wipes around the edges. That in itself is a national disgrace. He's nothing more than a property developer, with a love of tourism. No experience or political acumen.

It was laughable how he become PM. He really has no genuine mandate from the people. Achieved nothing at all. Should have been given the position of Tourist minister, not leader of a developing nation. Think's he is the PM of a G7 western developed nation. His tourist policy of allowing anyone and their dog to enter Thailand is an enviromental disaster, will allow the worst criminals in the world to enter, and will push up rents - none of which he has addressed. Concerns over motives around some policies, despite selling shares to his daughter - which doesn't really close the book on the issue. His positioning around Thaksin leaves him a worldwide laughing stock.

A complete disgrace is this open door immigration policy. Go on facebook forums - Indians are pushing hard on the DTV visa, and all inclinations is they are coming to live and work in Thailand. Totally idiotic by Thailand. This time next year the locals will be protesting, just like they are doing in Japan, Spain, France, etc You can't inflict mass tourism like this on a population without having the infrustructure to cope, or protecting the local population from this immigrants working illegally, and driving up rents. This is without mentioning the environmental and ecological disaster it will bring. But rejoice cos you couldnt pay 500 baht to an agent to get your extension.

Amusing Thailand is basically set to let in millions of Indians, but India still has strict controls on Thais. This despite the Indian economy by GDP per person being 1/3 less than that of Thailand. This explains the insanity and dangers of this policy. It's an ecological disaster to the beautiful places we love.

what digital nomad work do you do ? If you wanted to stay in thailand before you could have done so.

Digital nomad is just going to be a backpacker with a laptop. Get real.

Fully agree. The flood gates are going to open. Only ones who benefit are property developers. There are rules in Thai politics that you are not meant to benefit from decisions, even if he has transferred shares to his daughter as i have read in reports. It's scandalous they're going to get away with it. What's more annoying is the lunacy of some posters here rejoicing here because it saves them a little time going to get an extension - these people don't give a single care about Thailand at all.

Go look on facebook thai visa pages. Every single reply is from India. They are coming in mass. Then the Russians.

Nothing in Thailand ever changes. The guy behind Sansiri property company is now prime minister. How the hell did that happen? Thailand is about to change big time, and in my opinion prices are going to shoot up as rents get steeper, Thais forced out of their condos, Thais needing more money to live in condos because their rents have gone up, prices passed on to us. Only property developers in my opinion are going to benefit. Forget the tourism experience. This is going to be utter carnage and exploited to the chore. Those who are rejoicing because they save on a bit of a border run, and going to regret it when the country is just pure mass tourism to a level that is unsustainable and downrite ugly.

The guy leading the country is coming from a background in Property development. Follow the pattern and it all makes sense what is going on.

If you believe this is the correct course, then why is no other single country in the world opted for an open border policy like this (which is effectively what the DTV visa is). A government first job is to protect it's citizens - which is massively important in a developing nation. Thailand is not a rich developed nation yet, where market forces treat homes like a comodity investment rather than some place to live. You don't have open borders in China, India, nowhere. A micro example would be Phuket. Rent has gone through the roof in many areas. In many areas local culture has been totally eroded and replaced by a Russian lifestyle, russian menus, russian signs. Once rent goes up, locals will demand more wages, and cost is passed onto consumers. Local thai's forced out of their homes into lesser places. A crumbling infrustructure that can barely cope with the 40 million tourists they are going to achieve this year (a record), never mind 50,60,70 million more. Secondly, do you honestly think Chinese, Indians, Myanmar citizens who deal predominately in cash are going to pay any tax? Do me a favour. The invariable enviromental disaster it will cause with such mass cheap tourism.

Thailand economy has been told many times it needs to diversify away from mass cheap tourism. Look at Vietnam, Malaysia etc all out performing Thailand with diverse economies. Literally which other country has an open border ?

So is this basically a 5 year visa ? For you to live in Thailand for 5 years ? Only caveat being you have to get an extension after 180 days, then leave after the 180 extension? Then you can restart the 180 days again? And can you clarify this is available to the 90 countries (basically most of the world). Not sure i agree with this at all. Don't know any country that has basically opened up it's border like this.

Many of these islands are heading the way of Bali - disgusting mass tourism. What happened to Quality tourism and the reset we were promised? Instead they've doubled down on cheap tourism.

Who is making these proposals and who benefits ? Local Thai's certainly will not benefit in this developing nation.

It's announcemed more or less. The only requirements is a bank document to say you have £10k funds. Having been in India on travel, it would be very easy to fake a document like that too out there. This is going to cause carnage numbers wise.

New low this. I'm surprised they even have a border system anymore. Forget passport control. Just go straight through.

If things become unafforable for Thai's, especially living accomdoation ... then that drives up wages, which is then passed onto consumer. Prices go up.

Yes but you can extend to 360 days. Has there not been any public consultation on if Thail citizens are okay for them to basically open the borders for people to come and live (not just holiday)?

Complete carnage. I predict this next time year Local thai's will be protesting about the sheer volume of people coming. Furthermore, for a country struggling, this is another giveaway with not having to pay for a renewal to extend. On top of the giveaway free visas for China and India.

"Digital nomads" - basically just a back packer with a laptop.

What about all the income they just gave away when they removed the 'tax' on visa arrivals for Indians and Chinese. That move was a disgrace and must have cost billions.

What happened to quality tourists reset ? Sigh ----- here we go for complete carnage. For me i'm done. Phuket is already a disaster.

What happened to the tourism reset after covid that we were promised? I spent a few days in Phuket and it was literally one of the worst places i ever visited in Thailand. They're ruined it, so congrats to them. It's just awful. It has become a Bali, over tourism has destroyed it. Once the complaints and disatistifaction kick in, they big tour companies will avoid it - just like they do with Bali. Then what happens is you get more and more cheap tourists from China (on zero dollar tours), and India. They will come in numbers but won't have the spend. We've already seen reports that revenue is down, despite visitor numbers through the roof.