Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing fewer foreigners seeking annual visas. What are we talking about here? Well I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Birds, booze and banter remain the Pattaya attraction for Brits. The thrust of that article goes in a very different direction; I urge those who are watching this video go check out that article in detail. Quoting directly: "There are fewer Brits and Europeans these days looking for annual and long-stay visas. Also, the recent decision to give tourists 60 days on arrival with easy extensions, compared with 30 days in the past, means they don't need agents to help them get a longer stay." 

Well one, the “easy” extension thing I don't think that's quite the most accurate term. As we have discussed in other videos, that 60-day Visa, it is a boon and I do think it's going to decrease demand for other types of visas in sort of a short-term sense. That being said, if you want to live in Thailand, you can't do it on exemption status. We have discussed this very much. They say that "oh well these could be infinite". No, no, there was a Royal Decree years back regarding how many exemptions per year people got and they were very clear on that. The rule of thumb is two per year exemptions. Past that it becomes something of a guessing game because the adjudicating Immigration Officer is going to exercise their discretion on whether or not to allow people in. But where now, you can effectively stay in Thailand for half a year without even needing a proper Visa, a Visa per se, and they have increased the number of nationalities that can undertake that type of Visa, I think it's very likely you are going to see a rather stringent application down the line of the rule regarding to two entrances per year in exemption status. So I think that's one thing to keep in mind. 

Meanwhile as I have discussed in other videos, while yes the Destination Thailand Visa has changed things a lot, as discussed in other videos, Immigration hasn't said a word about it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs went out on a PR blitz to discuss it and I get why, they are trying to increase tourism numbers especially going into this coming high season, but long story short, at the end of the day it's going to be Immigration that is going to make decisions regarding extensions of those types of status; it's going to be Immigration that makes decisions regarding whether or not to readmit someone at a border crossing in that type of status. I expect, quarter one of 2025 which is when we will see the first DTVs pass their 6-month mark, I think we're going to see something come from Immigration because they've literally said nothing to date, notwithstanding the fact that the Ministry Foreign Affairs has made all sorts of bold statements regarding how this is going to operate notwithstanding the fact it's not within their bailiwick to allow that type of operation. It's going to be Immigration that makes those decisions. 

So what I'm basically trying to say here is yes, while at this time we're seeing a decrease in demand for long-stay visas, in the longer term I don't think this is going to have that big of an impact because again it's not Ministry of Foreign Affairs that gets to determine whether or not people stay in Thailand for the duration of these Destination Thailand Visas, it's going to be Immigration. It's also going to be Immigration with respect to allowing people to come in on multiple exceptions stamps and I expect probably around about quarter 1, 2025 there is going to be a bit of a sea change within Immigration because they're going to say "look high season is over," this always happens it's very seasonal here, "high season is over, we're sort of changing paradigm if you will, we're not interested in allowing people to live in Thailand utilizing something that really is meant for those to be here temporarily." Now exactly how that plays out remains to be seen, but we will certainly keep you updated on this channel as that situation evolves.