Just see the very last sentence from today's article in the Bangkok Post.

Future plans include adding eight more countries to the Visa on Arrival list and revising the criteria for long-stay retirement visas.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3194498/govt-clears-visa-revamp

I wouldn't read much into it.

Guess the biggest concern for sum people would be changes to the financial requirements and/or medical insurance.

Just now, DrJack54 said:

I wouldn't read much into it.

Guess the biggest concern for sum people would be changes to the financial requirements and/or medical insurance.

It does say "future plans" and that is characteristically vague. Perhaps others reading this might be able to sniff out something more solid.

Maybe it's referring to fictional bank accounts

Just now, JerryM said:

Maybe it's referring to fictional bank accounts

There are a lot of things they can do. Just hope that changes, if any, are minimal. And there is always the hope that grandfathering factors in as well with any major change.

18 minutes ago, John Drake said:

There are a lot of things they can do. Just hope that changes, if any, are minimal. And there is always the hope that grandfathering factors in as well with any major change.

Well in the current police order it mentions:

An alien who entered the Kingdom before October 21, 1998 and has been consecutively permitted to stay in the Kingdom for retirement shall be subject to the following criteria:

17 minutes ago, JerryM said:

Well in the current police order it mentions:

An alien who entered the Kingdom before October 21, 1998 and has been consecutively permitted to stay in the Kingdom for retirement shall be subject to the following criteria:

Yes, that was for the people getting the 200,000 baht requirement. There is a guy with Integrity Legal who puts out videos that seem useful. He mentioned reforms to retirement visas coming as a certainty but with grandfathering. That was back in December or November, I think.

Another thread on this contains the following, expanding on the reason for revising the criteria.

the Ministry plans to revise long-stay visa criteria for retirees to attract expats who can support sectors like real estate and health tourism.

Doesn't really sound like anything to get too worked up about

51 minutes ago, John Drake said:

There is a guy with Integrity Legal who puts out videos that seem useful.

Useful or useless. Not useful imo

The procedure for long stay retirement visa is not always handled properly by the authorities.

For instance the medical insurance issue. Thai bureaucracy needs to understand that with western european nationals, all their citizens from west europe countries have compulsory health insurance by law and most have specific insurance to be repatriated back to their country if there is any issue.

Thailand needs to stop making a fuss in the clauses on health insurance requirement when dealing with western european nationals. These countries have big spending power and their retirees usually own property in Thailand.

The idea is simple.

Any western european retiree, who owns property in Thailand (lease or freehold) should be given a hassle free visa for 10 years, multiple entry, no more 90 day report.

Only would need to submit property documents (leasehold villa or freehold condo), copy of retirement pension statement and that's it. Stop asking for all translations and other absurd bureaucratic stamps. Get people in your embassies that can understand the local language and that's it.

Not surprising why so many quality retirees from Europe are selling their house in Thailand and moving out to Vietnam or elsewhere.

2 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

The procedure for long stay retirement visa is not always handled properly by the authorities

I'm struggling to find one part of your post that makes any sense.

16 hours ago, John Drake said:

Just see the very last sentence from today's article in the Bangkok Post.

yeah, may be more interesting when the final details about the visa is totally approved and posted on this forum. Hope everyone that loves it here gets satisfaction.

16 hours ago, John Drake said:

Yes, that was for the people getting the 200,000 baht requirement. There is a guy with Integrity Legal who puts out videos that seem useful. He mentioned reforms to retirement visas coming as a certainty but with grandfathering. That was back in December or November, I think.

Is that a typo? I'm currently eligible to extend my stay on an income of 20,000 baht per month. Luckily I have more than 65,000 now, and I think that's what the Immigration Officer looks at, but not a lot more. Thaksin's first minister in charge on Immigration was rather anti-foreigner.

15 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

Not surprising why so many quality retirees from Europe are selling their house in Thailand and moving out to Vietnam or elsewhere.

Vietnam is cheaper, has great food, and attractive women but no retirement visa. That is a huge but with an extra t.

16 hours ago, John Drake said:

Yes, that was for the people getting the 200,000 baht requirement. There is a guy with Integrity Legal who puts out videos that seem useful. He mentioned reforms to retirement visas coming as a certainty but with grandfathering. That was back in December or November, I think.

Yes. consecutively permitted to stay in the Kingdom for retirement may again be the way the determine eligibility for grandfathering.

1 hour ago, Acharn said:

Is that a typo? I'm currently eligible to extend my stay on an income of 20,000 baht per month. Luckily I have more than 65,000 now, and I think that's what the Immigration Officer looks at, but not a lot more. Thaksin's first minister in charge on Immigration was rather anti-foreigner.

It's for people who have been on a retirement visa since 1998 and have held them consecutively, with no interruption since then. I actually know a couple of guys in their late 80s who are in this situation. I think the hope is if there is another adjustment upwards in the amount needed at 800K that that will be grandfathered in to the new rules. We can always hope. I would guess if they did something like that and followed the earlier pattern the cut off for grandfathering might just come in around the time of Covid, 2020 or 2021. But that is all conjecture. Need to see what they're really thinking first.

48 minutes ago, InlandSea said:

Vietnam is cheaper, has great food, and attractive women but no retirement visa. That is a huge but with an extra t.

My first 7 years, living in Thailand I visited Vietnam every month.

I would buy 4 three month multi entry permits per year.

I could have basically lived there.

In those days it was online letter of approval and visa sticker upon arrival.

Now it's e-Visa all online..

I'm going Sat. The approval takes exactly 4 days.

$45 multi 3 month or $25 single one month. Easy peasy.

20 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

The procedure for long stay retirement visa is not always handled properly by the authorities.

For instance the medical insurance issue. Thai bureaucracy needs to understand that with western european nationals, all their citizens from west europe countries have compulsory health insurance by law and most have specific insurance to be repatriated back to their country if there is any issue.

Thailand needs to stop making a fuss in the clauses on health insurance requirement when dealing with western european nationals. These countries have big spending power and their retirees usually own property in Thailand.

The idea is simple.

Any western european retiree, who owns property in Thailand (lease or freehold) should be given a hassle free visa for 10 years, multiple entry, no more 90 day report.

Only would need to submit property documents (leasehold villa or freehold condo), copy of retirement pension statement and that's it. Stop asking for all translations and other absurd bureaucratic stamps. Get people in your embassies that can understand the local language and that's it.

Not surprising why so many quality retirees from Europe are selling their house in Thailand and moving out to Vietnam or elsewhere.

No, retirees don't have all medical insurance from their home country. Nor are they entitled to repatriation. Some countries may offer such perks, my western European

home country does not. I have private cover for which I pay dearly.

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Now it's e-Visa all online..

I'm going Sat. The approval takes exactly 4 days.

$45 multi 30 month or $25 single one month. Easy peasy.

DrJack54,

Thanks for posting about the e-Visa online. I am planning a trip to Vietnam next month. Last time I went a few years ago, I applied at their embassy in Bangkok. I will give the e-Visa online a try.

8 minutes ago, JohnnyBD said:

Last time I went a few years ago, I applied at their embassy in Bangkok. I will give the e-Visa online a try.

You actually don't have an option.

The visa for Vietnam is done on the e-Visa platform.

Since it's introduction I have obtained 4 visas for Vietnam.

All have take exactly 4 business days.

Here is link to thread with some tips for eVisa for Vietnam.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1378740-e-visa-for-vietnam/

I thought it was interesting that the article said that "Thailand's Cabinet has approved significant visa policy..." I thought that the Cabinet was dissolved before the election. Do they mean to say that the new Cabinet has already been approved? If so that seems suspiciously fast. As far as I can see, like many articles here and on Bangkok Post, the article really doesn't say anything. There are no specific changes actually listed or any real information about future changes.

Here's my suggestion

Those who have retired in Thailand for 10 consecutive years with no criminal.record shall be granted permanent status with no further need for address reports unless new address or annual extensions.

1 hour ago, Letseng said:

Nein, Rentner haben nicht die volle Krankenversicherung ihres Heimatlandes. Auch haben sie keinen Anspruch auf Rückführung. Einige Länder bieten solche Leistungen zwar an, aber mein westeuropäischer Freund...

Mein Heimatland bietet das nicht an. Ich habe eine private Versicherung, für die ich viel Geld bezahle.

I would simply like to agree with user Letseng.

My first-class private health insurance in Germany (with premiums of more than USD 1,000 per month plus a deductible, based on my age of 75+) guarantees—subject to a required bilateral agreement—that all medically necessary costs incurred worldwide outside the EU, except in the USA, are reimbursed at 100% for stays of up to six months.

Only in genuine “exceptional situations,” such as in 2021 during COVID, when Phuket was under severe restrictions and no flights were available, did my German health insurer extend this coverage beyond the six-month limit until regular flights from HKT to the rest of the world resumed.

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Here's my suggestion

Those who have retired in Thailand for 10 consecutive years with no criminal.record shall be granted permanent status with no further need for address reports unless new address or annual extensions.

Many criminals who have never been caught have no criminal record. Paedos thrive on this.

4 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Many criminals who have never been caught have no criminal record. Paedos thrive on this.

Oops theres one thumbs down kiddy fiddler already. Didn't take long.

I’m certainly not going to get my knickers in a knot about this. Not yet. Reads like another concept of a plan. Let them get a new PM, cabinet, and legislature sorted out and then come back to this.

On 2/11/2026 at 5:36 PM, GroveHillWanderer said:

Another thread on this contains the following, expanding on the reason for revising the criteria.

the Ministry plans to revise long-stay visa criteria for retirees to attract expats who can support sectors like real estate and health tourism.

Doesn't really sound like anything to get too worked up about

Is this the thread you had in mind?

On 2/11/2026 at 4:35 PM, John Drake said:

It does say "future plans" and that is characteristically vague. Perhaps others reading this might be able to sniff out something more solid.

Seems it's already been completed.

At its meeting on February 10, 2026, the Cabinet approved a progress report on Thailand’s visa reform initiative launched in 2024 to support tourism and stimulate the national economy. While most of the measures are already in effect, authorities confirmed their consolidation and signaled several potential adjustments, including a possible revision of the 60-day visa exemption in response to documented cases of abuse.

....

The proposal, submitted by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reviewed by the Cabinet on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, does not represent a sudden overhaul of the country’s immigration policy. Rather, it marks a follow-up step and formal political validation of measures that have been gradually implemented over nearly two years.

....

Beyond easing entry requirements, reforms in recent months have focused on simplifying the system.

As of August 31, 2025, the previous 17 non-immigrant visa codes were consolidated into seven main categories to improve clarity and administrative efficiency.

...

https://visasnews.com/en/thailand-government-consolidates-its-visa-policy-and-considers-adjustments/

8 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

Seems it's already been completed.

At its meeting on February 10, 2026, the Cabinet approved a progress report on Thailand’s visa reform initiative launched in 2024 to support tourism and stimulate the national economy. While most of the measures are already in effect, authorities confirmed their consolidation and signaled several potential adjustments, including a possible revision of the 60-day visa exemption in response to documented cases of abuse.

....

The proposal, submitted by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reviewed by the Cabinet on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, does not represent a sudden overhaul of the country’s immigration policy. Rather, it marks a follow-up step and formal political validation of measures that have been gradually implemented over nearly two years.

....

Beyond easing entry requirements, reforms in recent months have focused on simplifying the system.

As of August 31, 2025, the previous 17 non-immigrant visa codes were consolidated into seven main categories to improve clarity and administrative efficiency.

...

https://visasnews.com/en/thailand-government-consolidates-its-visa-policy-and-considers-adjustments/

The last sentence of your link does sound like they're finished to me. Does that mean they're going to leave the current retirement extension alone? Or are they going to create another category that costs more and provides for longer stays?

"At the same time, the government is reviewing the criteria for long-stay visas aimed at foreign retirees. The goal is to attract individuals with strong economic potential while ensuring appropriate regulatory oversight."

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

The last sentence of your link does sound like they're finished to me. Does that mean they're going to leave the current retirement extension alone? Or are they going to create another category that costs more and provides for longer stays?

"At the same time, the government is reviewing the criteria for long-stay visas aimed at foreign retirees. The goal is to attract individuals with strong economic potential while ensuring appropriate regulatory oversight."

I don't expect any major changes. This appears more to be new government putting out a press release for the publicity value.

Much ado about Anutin.