Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing what can only be described as disinformation in my opinion. I do not use that word lightly because unfortunately I think that that word is bandied about in the ether of the internet if you will, far too much. There is information and then there is information that seems some people don't want to hear and they call it disinformation. In this case though I think it is warranted; I will get into why. I was reading a reading article on the website traveloffpath.com, that is traveloffpath.com, the article is titled: Malaysia's New Digital Nomad Visa is Now the Easiest to Qualify For in Asia. Quoting directly: "Some countries, like Thailand are only getting more difficult and expensive with time. Thailand had previously offered 90 day Tourist Visas on arrival in 2022 but reverted back to 30 days this spring while cracking down on Visa runs. Their only Digital Nomad Visa options fall under the Thai Elite Program: 9 tears of VIPs status for high earning Nomads willing to shell out $17K-$1.5M, again US Dollars."

Yeah I can only describe this article as essentially a hit piece almost. It just seemed like it was designed to almost put Thailand under the bus in terms of relative Immigration benefits that can be garnered here in this jurisdiction compared to Malaysia. Then on top of it the information isn't even correct. For example, let me quote again: "Thailand had previously offered 90 day tourist visas on arrival" - not true. That was never the case. What Thailand did, one of the last things that occurred using the Emergency Decree prior to the emergency decree being rescinded is during high season they set it up so that for last high season going into March of 2023, after October 2022, so between October 2022 and March of 2023, for those countries that already were part of the Visa exemption scheme, so for example the US, Britain, Canada, the Anglosphere if you will, Ireland, Europe and even some other countries in like Eastern Europe, I think Russia has Visa exempt status with Thailand these countries, Japan for example these countries have Visa exemption ability. So when you arrive in Thailand generally speaking unless there is a bilateral agreement otherwise, generally speaking these Visa exempt countries are granted 30 days upon arrival. For example a US Passport holder comes to Thailand, usually if you come with no Visa whatsoever you just get on a plane and come here 30 days on arrival. Well, in order to spur some tourism activities the Thai authorities went ahead and allowed a 45 day Visa exempt stamp upon arriving in Thailand. Now that could then be extended further which actually resulted in 75 days because the extension was only for 30 days so I don't know where they are getting this Visa on arrival, a 90 day Tourist Visa on arrival, that wasn't ever the case here. Then moving on, "then cracking down on Visa Runs" well no they weren't cracking down on Visa Runs. What was happening as we discussed on this channel multiple times, yeah there was more scrutiny along the border when things started to reopen and some folks, they had to get their paperwork in order before they went to the border. That was all that was happening is you just had to sort of front load your paperwork and be sure that you could do the actual border run before going to the Border. Immigration basically took the position that look, we are doing this from an efficiency standpoint. We have got enough problems dealing with reopening, that is why we are doing it, so it wasn't really a crackdown on Border Runs or Visa Runs as they say here. Then they say "their only Digital Nomad Visa options fall under the Thai Elite program" - not at all true, not at all true, not at all true. As we have discussed multiple times, and that is the so-called long-term residence visa which doesn't actually provide lawful permanent residence in Thailand but it could provide benefits to various types of retirees and folks that may want to work in Thailand.

Meanwhile I don't know why everybody is decided to just go ahead and forget about standard Business Visas for example. They are still available and still possible. We assist folks all the time with the standard Business Visa and Work Permit here in Thailand. Meanwhile, again if you are married to a Thai, you have the option of coming here on a Marriage Visa and you can get work authorized on that and you can be a married digital nomad, there is that option. Again that is probably a pretty narrow subset of people but it is possible as an option out there.

The notion that the only option is the Thailand Elite Visa, that is absurd. There are many other options besides that specific one. Again only if you are willing to shell out 17,000 to 1.5 Million dollars, I don't even know where they got those numbers from because as we have discussed in many other videos, there are a ton of reasonably priced options, far lower than $17,000 as we have discussed. For example the Thai Retirement Visa is again you may have to have Financial assets in a Bank Account in Thailand but you are not paying that out, you are just holding it in the bank, using it as evidence for maintaining one’s status here. So again, unfortunately I don't know what again traveloffpath.com it is just again for lack of a better term, it is just kind of looked like a hit piece on Thai Immigration in an effort to sort of make Malaysia look better by comparison.