Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the new long stay tourist, "special tourist visas". We have been discussing these somewhat at length. 

An article that actually came out before the announcement that the "special tourist visa" would be promulgated is from thaivisa.com. It is titled Long Stay Visa Cabinet Decision Today on "Premium" Visitors who will have "Freedom" of Thailand. This article is citing and I believe translating, thansettakij.com. Quoting directly: "Thailand's Business media reported that proposals to open up Thailand to long stay foreign tourists would be discussed by the Cabinet today when a decision on the plan is expected." Quoting further and this is the important part: "The long stay Visa will be for 90 days but can be extended twice so that the visitor can stay up to 270 days." That is important. There is also this specific quotation where it says "he said this was not a Business Visa."  I urge those who are watching this video to go read that article directly. There is a lot in there.

This is a point I have been making with clients recently which is this is not a Non-immigrant Visa, it is a Tourist Visa. If you are looking to come to Thailand to be here permanently, this may be a stop gap to get you into 2021. As I have noted in prior videos, there is a quota apparently associated with this. There are only 1,200 of these going to be issued on a monthly basis so if you have another good non-immigrant reason to come in, a Non-immigrant Visa may be a better way to go in a more long-term sense and also because processing overall is relatively similar when you are looking at one of these "special tourist visas" vs. for example an O Visa based on marriage if you qualify for that, the actual processing timing-wise is pretty similar and as noted it is not a Business Visa. If you were to come in on this because you have business issues and you weren't otherwise able to get in, that could pose a problem if you are not work authorized.  The other thing, and I have gotten into this in videos I have made contemporaneously with this one, conversion on this type of Visa is again not a foregone conclusion. It is a laudable visa. I am glad that they have created it. It is going to spur some tourism here in Thailand but it should be noted that it is not a Non-immigrant Visa category and more importantly it is probably not a visa you are going to be able to easily convert. Thai Immigration takes the position, sort of their default position, that they want folks if they are going to change their status to extend status in country, they would prefer that those folks leave the country and come back in. This preference exists notwithstanding the fact we are under these rather stringent restrictions with respect to travel associated with COVID-19 and the aftermath thereof. 

So again, this "special tourist visa" may be great for some folks but if you are trying to use it to get a Non-immigrant Visa by other means, it may not be the optimal visa for that purpose.