Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing DTV, the Destination Thailand Visa. We are talking about this in the context of basically how this all factors in with regard to work authorization. I actually was posting a little bit in the comments in a previous video, because somebody asked me about work authorizations and the DTV. I stuck some links up and then they sent back another response. Quoting directly, I'm not quoting the whole thing but just quoting this one little thing. Quoting directly: "If you can prove your work as digital nomad does not take away from the Thai economy, you can get approved as a digital nomad?" 

The answer to that question is it does not come down to taking away work from the Thai economy, it comes down to operating in the Thai economy. As we discussed in another video, there was actually a direct quote that I quoted from the Pattaya Mail from Ministry of Interior which said that "those who are operating using the Destination Thailand Visa, must not impinge upon the Thai economy." People always say that it's about taking Thai jobs, it's about again quoting, "taking away from the Thai economy". That's not the analysis. It's interacting with the Thai economy is the analysis. That's the question. Thais are very insular; Thailand is very insular when it comes to work authorization of people in the Kingdom because again their history, they don't want to be overrun by a bunch of people just coming in here and doing whatever they want because it's Thailand, the name is on the door. It's their land and they are going to administer it the way they see fit. 

The thing to take away from this video though is understanding what was done with regard to this DTV, and how the paradigm has shifted with regard to work. What are we talking about here? Well I used to get contacted by folks that would be looking for a Retirement Visa, and they'd say "yeah I'm going to come over there, I'm going to retire but I consult back in the United States, so I'm going to send some emails every once in a while, I might be on the phone or on Zoom or something talking to people back in the US. Is that a big deal?" And I would have to say "well strictly speaking, anyone working in Thailand needs to have work authorization." What they're doing, it's a very minor relaxation of the work authorization rules overall, but it's being touted as this massive sea change that's not occurring. From the statements from Interior themselves which we cited and I referenced a moment ago, you can see this. What's changed though is in the past when I would say well "technically speaking you would need a Work Permit for that even though you're going to be here on a Retirement Visa and you can't get a Work Permit", now we don't really have to say that analysis, or at least with respect to the DTV specifically because again just getting on the phone or getting on Zoom is not going to result necessarily in a work violation here in Thailand.