Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing DTV here in Thailand. Specifically, let me just jump in here. We're talking about this; there's a lot going on about the DTV. There's a bunch of people that are mad at me about it; they think that I have some grudge against the DTV. I do on a certain level insofar as they just unilaterally decided they get to attach work authorization to it. That's what they said at the beginning; that wasn't the case. They have said a lot about the DTV. What I don't like about it is how it has been rolled out, where they have said it's one thing and it's my opinion as a practical matter, it's going to evolve into something different and there's going to be fallout from that. There are going to be negative ramifications in terms of the optics associated with that and Thailand generally. I think this could have been rolled out a lot better and could have been thought out, but I guess people just decided they wanted to roll it out quick. I think there's a certain aspect of this where they were trying to get really high numbers for this upcoming high season, but that said again we're not going to deal with the real ramifications of this until the first quarter of 2025. 

That being said, I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Thailand's DTV game changer: let sleeping dogs lie for now. I urge those as usual go check out that article if you're interested. Quoting directly: "In the longer term, extensions could require a digital (not in-person) application with the need to provide online updated information. Or such extensions might be decided only by Immigration Headquarters and not by Provincial Offices." So, what they are talking about there is again Immigration, and Interior, has been completely silent regarding the notion of extension of status here in Thailand of DTV status and we don't know exactly what that looks like. Again, they've been completely silent, therefore it's not a foregone conclusion they are going to allow extensions of DTV in Thailand. In fact, it is my understanding they are probably not; that's what I'm hearing. Now again, this is anecdotal, I'm not talking about that anecdotal evidence as if it's hard and fast but that is what I'm hearing. 

That said, and this is more to the point, quote: "Or the DTV might be canceled all together for new applicants with "grandfather" rights given to those already possessing the Visa." Well I'm not convinced that that's what they are going to do either. My personal opinion is this was rolled out in my opinion, probably with so much exuberance that no one had any prudence about how it would be applied in the long term, and also nobody really thought about the ramifications for internal Immigration. My personal opinion is there's a very good chance this thing will just die on the vine effectively. Like there will be some people who can continue to maintain the threshold and the parameters required to maintain the DTV Visa, but I think there's going to be a lot of people who won’t, and they will either have problems getting back into Thailand with a border checkpoint or Immigration here in Thailand just won't allow extensions. Again border checkpoints, they may just say "hey are you living here on this?" We saw a huge crackdown of people living in Thailand on Tourist Visas; it's a mandate of Immigration to not allow people effectively on Tourist Visas live here. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is I think this was rolled out without a lot of forethought basically, and they also wanted to roll it out as a big sort of PR blitz, a big advertising blitz to get a good high season, which that goal is laudable, but the problem is we are going to deal with the consequences and we are going to deal with the rubber hitting the road on these visas come quarter one and I don't think it's going to look the way that all these foreigners - especially on the internet - keep talking about it as if it's a foregone conclusion.