Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Permanent Residence here in Thailand as well as Citizenship. We're also discussing the Thailand Elite Visa versus the so-called LTR Visa or Long-term Residence Visa. As we have discussed in many prior videos, and I don't mean to sound like a broken record here, but the LTR Visa is not strictly speaking a Resident Visa. As we discussed Lawful Permanent Resident in Thailand - often referred to as PR - Permanent Residence is a different legal status especially under the Immigration Act of 1979. Under that Act you are either a non-resident or you are a resident alien in Thailand. Resident Aliens hold an Immigrant Visa i.e. Permanent Residence; they are covered by different part of the Act. Permanent Residents for example don't have to deal with things like TM30, address reporting, they don't have to do Visa extensions, they are Permanent Residents, they can be in a Tabian Baan, what's called a Blue House book here in Thailand. Again there are multiple different benefits associated with Permanent Residency and Citizenship as I've discussed in many other videos as well. 

That said, I thought of making this particular video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that's pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Several neighbouring countries compete with Thailand for foreign retirees. The thrust of that article goes in a bunch of different directions talking about other countries here in Southeast Asia. I may do some videos on that in the future but there's a lot going on within Thailand right now. I'm kind of shying away from talking about stuff more regionally. If you're looking to sort of do some comparison between Philippines, Cambodia etc. even Malaysia and the Thai system, it might not be a bad idea to check out that article for further detail. That said, quoting directly: "Thailand offers a multiplicity of long-term visas for women and men well past the first bloom of youth. They include annual extensions of stay, the 5 - 20 year Elite Visa and the 10 years Long Term Residence Visa (LTR) each of which has its own scale of charges with assorted pluses and minuses. None of them allows direct ownership of land by foreigners nor guarantees a path to Permanent Residency or Citizenship." 

Yes, as I have discussed in many other videos in the past, those who want to be on the path to Permanent Residency or Citizenship are going to have to deal with those stodgy old standard type Thai Visas that we know of as the sort of standard non-Immigrant Visas. I've gone into great detail in other videos regarding Permanent Residence processing, Citizenship processing, documentation of visa status pertaining to that, but the thing to take away from this video is while the Elite Visa or the LTR is a long-term method of maintaining lawful status in Thailand, it does not confer Permanent Residence and it does not confer Citizenship and neither of them places you on the path to either of those status just by dint of being in that visa. In a sense, I would liken the Elite Visa and the LTR Visa to just sort of like a really long Tourist Visa, you could sort of liken it to that. Now that said, it's not a perfect analogy but it's pretty close. There are benefits associated with both of them that derive from for example Elite Visas you get certain perks at the airport, golfing these other types of things. Again depending on your circumstances, it might be a very good option for you but it's a good idea to remember it does not eventually lead to Permanent Residence or Citizenship here in the Kingdom of Thailand.