Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing whether or not, and we have discussed this in other videos, whether or not vaccination is going to become a requirement for visa extension. 

Let me be clear, this is not a requirement right now and those who are even talking about this you know, especially in the Government, I am pretty upset with folks they are just hinting around. I don't know what the right word is. Are they trying to front run this? Try and figure out what the response would be and sort of gauge that. But there has been a lot of talk about this overall issue. In fact a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Thai Authorities Attracted by Compulsory Vaccination Possibilities. I have done another video on this and we have talked about this "hinting" at maybe requiring this stuff or making it a requirement to go to out in public which I really don't like the way and I am not pointing out Pattaya Mail on this one, I was reading that from ASEAN NOW, which they were translating from the Thai press. I really didn't like how it was put out there. It was kind of put out there like "well this is a foregone conclusion" from the Press. Well it is not a foregone conclusion. Quite frankly I think it is a terrible idea and I have done a video on that. For a bunch of different reasons, I just don't think it is a good idea at all. 

The point of this video, I am going to go ahead and quote just a small excerpt from this. I urge those watching this video go check out Pattaya Mail and see that article again: Thai Authorities Attracted by Compulsory Vaccination Possibilities. Quoting directly: "The notion of non-vaxxers being refused extension of stay or renewal of annual visas is clearly not off the future agenda." I would dissent a little from the use of the term "clearly not off the future agenda". I don't think it is clearly on the future agenda. I just think it is a bunch of people talking and frankly I think the folks in the Government that are talking this way, I just don't like seeing it. One, I have real problems with the underlying issue but also if people aren't really serious about doing this, let's not even bandy it about. It is serious stuff to talk about and it really puts a lot of expats out here in a very concerned position because they want to know if they can maintain their status. There are people that have concerns; health concerns, religious concerns, other concerns about undergoing certain types of medical treatments and things or undergoing certain new requirements in order to maintain their status. 

For this reason, again let me be clear, this is not a requirement yet. I shouldn't even say "yet"! This is not a requirement now. Do I think it will be? I don't know. Is it possible? Well anything is possible. Should it be? In my opinion, no. But is it possible it could happen? Possibly but I am not seeing anything yet that leads me to believe there is going to be a major policy change. However we will keep you updated on this channel as the situation evolves.