Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the issue of Long-Term stay in Thailand, whether or not that is a cumbersome or difficult process. I thought of making this video after reading a recent comment on our channel, quoting directly: "I really do not understand why Thailand do not make the country open with more Visa options as same as Dubai; long-term stay is really difficult." 

Well depending on your situation, that may or may not be true. For example, long-term status for folks that are over 50 here in Thailand in the Retirement Visa category, not difficult at all. Folks that are willing to undertake or pay for the membership in Thailand Elite which provides a Thailand Elite Visa, again that is a pretty straightforward process. Those who want to come here to Thailand and do business for example, I have to be honest and I don't know if I convey this well enough sometimes, but setting up a Company and setting up effectively one's own Business Visa and Work Permit here in Thailand, it's not the most cumbersome thing in the world. Now I probably am a little bit skewed in my perception of that because we deal with it every day but I think the price is quite reasonable for most folks' circumstances compared to the services that they get wherein you can basically get set up with a Company here in Thailand very reasonably; maintain one's own status, maintain one's own work authorization, that can be done quite reasonably priced, in quite a straightforward manner. 

But no unfortunately, those who just want to arrive in Thailand with no particular purpose and oftentimes with let's be clear, like very low budget sometimes, yeah it is going to be difficult to stay in Thailand because Thai Immigration is wondering what you are doing here at the end of the day and if you are not doing something that is productive and for example generating revenue and thereby paying taxes or if you are not clearly a retiree - retirees bring in a certain benefit to the country insofar as they come here and spend money - and okay if you are like sort of a younger nomad type, well then get into one of the kind of more Nomad like categories for example Thailand Elite is one example of that. We have discussed so-called LTR Visas, Long-term Residence Visas, the Smart Visa is out there as well as just standard Business Visas, Thai O Visa if you are married to a Thai National. Again there are options but if you don't really have a great deal of purpose and at the same time are not willing to contribute in one way or the other financially in terms of maintaining your status here in the Kingdom, yeah it is going to be pretty hard to get long-term status under those circumstances.