Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the notion of being "Approved in Principle". I have had a lot of people contacting me the past few weeks, especially in seemingly the past few days, very interested in and talking about these proposed long-term visas, so-called 10-year visas for those looking to stay in Thailand long term. 

Everybody is talking about these like they exist quite frankly, like they are a foregone conclusion, like they exist. A recent article from the Thaiger, that is thethaiger.com, and the article is titled: Thailand News Today ꟾ Thai Government approves 10 year visa program. Quoting directly: "The 10-year visa scheme for wealthy foreigners and skilled professionals was approved in principle by the Thai Cabinet targeting foreign investors, highly skilled professionals and Wealthy retirees." A tip of the hat to the folks at the Thaiger. For those who watch YouTube you may have seen me on some of their videos over there talking to Tim. I am always happy to talk to them. I love their content but the point of this video and I discussed this with Tim recently, is again I just want to reiterate this to folks because a lot of people are talking about this like it is a done deal; it is not. It is approved in principle. We have not seen the regulatory structure behind what this is going to look like. To be clear it could look very different to the way it gets described initially. I have seen this happen in circumstances before, well most notably recently, the Smart Visa. It started off and it was just kind of out there in the ether, it was very vague as to what it was kind of exactly look like and then when the rubber hit the road, the practicalities of it were not really broadly applicable to a large segment of the population of prospective expats. I am definitely not saying that is the case here. What I am saying is we just don't know. We don't know what this is going to look like. At last count I believe I saw an article out there, I think it was in the Bangkok Post, I could be wrong I am just thinking off the top of my head, that two drafts of legislation had been submitted but again we haven't seen a finalized regulatory structure on this. So for those who are looking at this as if it is just like it done deal, and I am not pointing out the Thaiger, Bangkok Post especially too is talking about all this stuff as if it is really firmed up and it is just not yet. And, as we have seen with Immigration stuff especially going back into the pandemic where things would be talked about and then the next day a total reversal would happen from what was being discussed at a certain level to what was implemented shortly thereafter. 

So the point of this video, for those who are interested stay interested. This this could have major ramifications; it could be very beneficial for folks but we are not at a phase yet where you can analyze this with the degree of certainty. If you are reading a lot of the English Language Press here in Thailand on this topic and you are not an overly savvy if you will operator with respect to discussion of Thai Immigration, you can get very easily overwhelmed by the notion that this is a foregone conclusion. We don't know what this looks like yet and until there is a regulatory scheme promulgated, we are not going to know.