Thailand unveils new visa rules, sparks mixed reactions

[Gottfrid]

15 hours ago, Kerryd said:

They didn't clarify though. You get the 180 days, and then can extend it for another 180 days and then what, do a border run and get another 180 days ?

Not a 100% clarification, but they did mention it.
 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Extensions beyond the initial 189 days require additional documentation.

A guess would be that requires another set of proof of the amount of money held and another receipt of payslip.

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Are all the extending “digital nomads” and visa-runners gonna pay income tax in thailand on their foreign earnings if they stay a day over 6 months in Thailand?

 

I doubt that the vast majority of them even know about the tax law changes.

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, ryandb said:

Go to a local co working spot, I think you might be confused on the income of the vast majority of actual digital nomads

 

How many will soon lose all their work to AI?

[MalcolmB]

19 minutes ago, Chongalulu said:

A vacuous,unthinking play of the race card. Very many Western countries have different rules for various nationalities wishing to enter and for good reason. As developed countries they are very attractive for those from poorer countries to overstay,enter the black market for employment etc. ,thus a need to be discriminating and police those wishing to enter. Thailand has a reputation for its nationals doing just that. 

I am talking about Thais who want to travel, not illegally work. 
They are discriminated against because they are Thai. It is racist.

[818Pilot]

I wouldn’t give up my retirement visa for any of these and I have no issue with my 800,000 sitting in an account making little or nothing.

 

Anyone that’s been here long enough know things will change 10 more times this year alone and once thing start biting them from not throughly planning long term, there will be further restrictions. 
 

So enjoy these while you can as I guarantee they won’t last and you won’t be “living” in Thailand long term like many think they will

[Guderian]

Soon to be inscribed on a new Statue of Thainess:

 

Give me your drug-addled, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to avoid the draft back home, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the useless, tempest-tossed tossers to me, I lift my spliff beside the golden katoey!

[mania]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The third category includes those with spouses or children in Thailand, requiring proof of relationship. This visa could serve as an alternative to the category O spousal visa but needs an extension every six months and necessitates leaving the country at least once per year.

 

Does not really seem a good alternative to the Cat O married to Thai visa since that one is only 400k on deposit & no need to leave once a year or get an extension every 6 months

[Upnotover]

8 minutes ago, mania said:

 

Does not really seem a good alternative to the Cat O married to Thai visa since that one is only 400k on deposit & no need to leave once a year or get an extension every 6 months

It isn't for being married to a Thai, it's for being married to DTV holder.

[patman30]

16 hours ago, Kerryd said:

So you will be able to stay for 12 months at a cost of 7,600 baht (4 extensions at 1,900 each) plus the cost of 4 border runs.

or simply, the cost of 6 border runs,
which may work out cheaper depending on location and border used

[rocketboy2]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

 

How many will soon lose all their work to AI?

 

 95% over the next 5-10 years. ( conservative guess)

They will be fxxxxxxxxxxxd

[sambum]

2 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Agreed Rick, First hand experience of different immigration fiefdoms. When lived in Hua Hin, money in the bank, six months statements, and the obligatory update on the day & bank letter. Moved back to near Surin, now money in the bank 12 months statements, even though the Government visa rules state 3 months before & 3 months after visa date. I will not hold my breath on these rules being changed in the near future, or even taken advantage of as being more complex, therefore more interpretations, equals more kickbacks because you "not haf correct paper". Flip flop Government will not disappoint I am sure.

 

 "First hand experience of different immigration fiefdoms."

 

It's about time that every Immigration had a universal "hymnbook", so that they all applied the same rules. It's bad enough that they change the rules as often as I change my tee shirt, but when different IO's in the same Immigration Office have different interpretations of the rules, something needs to be done to rectify the situation, instead of an IO being able to say (and I have actually heard this said) :- "Never mind the "Rulebook", I make the rules here!"

[calbts2]

4 hours ago, JensenZ said:

Most "skint expats" can get a yearly retirement extension for around 12,500.

 

Where do you get this 12,500 amount? I only pay 1,900. Then again maybe I am not "skint".

[1happykamper]

16 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Must be a lot of skint expats rolling on the bar floors laughing their butts off right now and ordering a bottle of the "good beer" for a change instead of their normal small glass of cheap draft.

And a lot of "digital nomad" (aka "begpackers") who will now be able to buy a skewer of BBQ chicken to go with their half order of rice once a day.
All they have to do is show a "slip" from their employer and show that they have basically just over $14,000 US in "assets" - somewhere in the world and they are good for a year.

Are you jealous or just a miserable person? I can't tell which ... 

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

I am talking about Thais who want to travel, not illegally work. 
They are discriminated against because they are Thai. It is racist.

 

That "discrimination" occurs because hundreds of thousands of their fellow citizens have gone to other countries under the guise of "wanting to travel" and ended up working illegally - in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Europe, the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere. It's unfortunate that those who really do just want to sightsee have a difficult time as a result, but other countries can't ignore reality.

[MalcolmB]

Just now, khunjeff said:

 

That "discrimination" occurs because hundreds of thousands of their fellow citizens have gone to other countries under the guise of "wanting to travel" and ended up working illegally - in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Europe, the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere. It's unfortunate that those who really do just want to sightsee have a difficult time as a result, but other countries can't ignore reality.

Plenty of your countrymen have worked in Thailand illegally.

[mrmicbkktxl]

13 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

I have to say the visa rules in Thailand are a big plus with many options. Something for everyone.

 

It is not a two way street though, a Thai who wants to visit the UK has to perform backflips through hoops to have a chance of maybe getting a visa after considerable expense and a pile of paperwork.

It is very racist.

riducolous to compare visa rules and entry requirements of a banana jungly country with a G7 country.

How many UK citizens overstay their visa and work in Thailand or other Countries without the required documents?How many Thais overstay their visa and work  without permission to do so?

[bubblegum]

I don't get it: Visa exemption 60 days and can do as many as you like?

I live close to Cambodia where the booze is way cheaper. So every 60 days I can go shopping there, save a lot of money, pay the border guys 300 bath because I won't overnight and repeat?

 

 

[NatureFilm]

further taxation remains the elephant in the room. Rich people have have left THA already or are about to leave

[scotsdude]

Will just stick to 90 day non-o... far easier to apply for and no need to visit immigration for 30 day extension....

[Olmate]

17 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Soooo, unlimited 60 day "Visa Exemption Stamps" - which could be extended for 30 days at an Immigration office for 1900 baht. 
Giving you a 3 month stay for 1,900 baht. 

Then a border run to get a new 60 day stamp and another 1900 for an extension when that one is due.

So you will be able to stay for 12 months at a cost of 7,600 baht (4 extensions at 1,900 each) plus the cost of 4 border runs.

And for as many years (currently) as you like.

Until they suddenly change their minds and cut back on them the way they did with the 30 day Extensions 7 or 8 years ago.

Must be a lot of skint expats rolling on the bar floors laughing their butts off right now and ordering a bottle of the "good beer" for a change instead of their normal small glass of cheap draft.

And a lot of "digital nomad" (aka "begpackers") who will now be able to buy a skewer of BBQ chicken to go with their half order of rice once a day.
All they have to do is show a "slip" from their employer and show that they have basically just over $14,000 US in "assets" - somewhere in the world and they are good for a year.

They didn't clarify though. You get the 180 days, and then can extend it for another 180 days and then what, do a border run and get another 180 days ?
Because the Visa is good for 5 years. If it was only good for 1 year that would be a different story. But by making it a 5 year Visa, that implies you can keep getting "180 day" stamps each year and then extending the stay by an additional 180 days each time before having to do a "border run" again.

Sweet  deal.

But for the people who follow the rules and keep their money in the bank ? 

Not a bluddy thing.
 

Dildo  idea money in the bank, 4visaruns.exs  etc  and costs bout the same as an agent!  Who is in front? No need for drama anymore nay stayers! 🤪🤪

[Kerryd]

2 hours ago, 818Pilot said:

I wouldn’t give up my retirement visa for any of these and I have no issue with my 800,000 sitting in an account making little or nothing.

Same here. I put my 800k in a Fixed Term account over a year before I was first eligible for an "Extension". As I was working out of the country and going back and forth 3-4 times a year it wasn't a big deal to use the 30 Day stamps (most of the time) but the Non-O and Extension made it less fretful when my holidays sometimes stretched to 32-33 days.

Back then all Immigration wanted was to see that you had 800k in an account on the day you applied for the Extension. It was "expected" that you would live off of that money for the next year. In fact, some people had problems at Immigration because their account didn't show any withdrawals.
But Immigration got over that and was happy as long as you had the money in some (accessible) account.

And I've left that money in there ever since. About what, 14 years now I guess. I did scoop some of the interest out a few years ago but now just leave it there. 

And yeah, things have changed, often, since then. First with the having to have the 800k in the bank for 3 months before your Extension. Then having to keep it in the bank for 3 months after. Then having to have it in the account for 2 months before and 3 months after and then having to leave at least half the amount there all year.

And it seems the idea of "grandfathering" people under the old rules went out the window decades ago as well. I recall a few discussions on this forum going back 18-19 years ago about people who were "grandfathered" under the "old" rules and only had to show 400k in the bank on the day they applied for their Extension. So long as they never missed renewing by the due date, they could (supposedly) continue doing that as long as they lived.

That was back when the gov't changed the requirement from 400k to 800k, which caused quite a stir as Immigration wanted (single) old foreigners to show more money in the bank than senior politicians and military generals made (in official salaries) in a year. 

(I think someone back then calculated that the "average" tourist - meaning mostly "western males" - spent an average of about 2,000 baht per day when on holiday so they decided that any (foreigner) living here full time must spend the same amount and then rounded it up to an even 800k.)
Didn't matter that most of the people "living" here weren't staying in hotels, eating all their meals in restaurants and partying in the bars every night. Huge difference between being on holiday for 2 weeks and living here full time.

So I'm just going to leave my 800k in that Fixed Term account for the foreseeable future as I expect things will change, again, and probably not for the better.
And it only costs 1,900 baht to do my annual Extension. No border runs or having to do Extensions every 3 months.

And the peace of mind knowing that if something happened, that money is readily available (hopefully) !
 

[Will B Good]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

or a letter from the employer abroad is required.”

 

That should not present a problem...????

 

Take two minutes to knock one up.

[Will B Good]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Applicants need to provide evidence such as an appointment,

 

Make an appointment and then cancel it?

[Will B Good]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The third category includes those with spouses or children in Thailand, requiring proof of relationship. This visa could serve as an alternative to the category O spousal visa but needs an extension every six months and necessitates leaving the country at least once per year.

 

Go back to the UK every 9 months.....starting to become interested in this visa.

[NoshowJones]

25 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

That should not present a problem...????

 

Take two minutes to knock one up.

Khaosan Road? Or was that just in the old days?

[paulikens]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

You can enter as many times as possible within a calendar year. Entrants must show access to at least 20,000 baht but are not required to present a return or onward ticket unless specifically asked by an immigration officer.”

Time will tell but I can see the IO's not playing ball.   Does the Ministry of foreign affairs really decide how IO apply the rules.   they do as they please.  

[freeworld]

2 hours ago, rocketboy2 said:

 

 95% over the next 5-10 years. ( conservative guess)

They will be fxxxxxxxxxxxd

Don't believe 95%. See in 10 years.Like Musk said about 10 years ago that humans would travel to mars, still nowhere near that objective.

 

AI will;l not do engineering and construction, physical and manual jiobs, farming preparing and making growing food, manufacturing installing and maintaining robotics and mechanical/electrical machinery, mining an extraction of minerals etc.,.,.,.

 

Maybe to some extent financial and service jobs., but humans will still be required to intervene.

[rocketboy2]

3 minutes ago, freeworld said:

Don't believe 95%. See in 10 years.Like Musk said about 10 years ago that humans would travel to mars, still nowhere near that objective.

 

AI will;l not do engineering and construction, physical and manual jiobs, farming preparing and making growing food, manufacturing installing and maintaining robotics and mechanical/electrical machinery, mining an extraction of minerals etc.,.,.,.

 

Maybe to some extent financial and service jobs., but humans will still be required to intervene.

 

Mate we are talking about the digital nomads.  they will be 95% fxxxxxxd

[freeworld]

3 minutes ago, paulikens said:

Time will tell but I can see the IO's not playing ball.   Does the Ministry of foreign affairs really decide how IO apply the rules.   they do as they please.  

Yesterday arrived back in Bangkok from abroad with my visa extension (valid to end Sept 2024) and reentry permit. Young immmig officer checks my passport pages and asks me how long I want to stay. I told her up to the end validity on my visa extension (as they always did) so that's what she put on the entry stamp. Immig seemed more friendly than usual.

[JeffersLos]

6 hours ago, JensenZ said:

4 x visa runs are (at cheapest) 14,000 baht (if a Cambodia Visa is required on a border run), plus the 4 extensions for 7,900, for a total of 21,600 and many fun hours in a minivan.

 

Why a minivan? Why Cambodia?

 

Anyway. Drive your car or ride your motorcycle to a border, maybe 500 baht in gas. Burma, Laos, Cambodian or Malaysian visa, whatever price that is, say 1500THB average. 2000THB give or take. Forget getting extensions at immigration. Just do the road trip once every 2 months, cost approx 1000 baht a month.