Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are comparing the proposed "Long Stay Visas" with the previously created Smart Visas. I discussed Smart Visas before they were even created and officially brought online, we kind of analyzed them as they came along and I felt like this comparative analysis might be somewhat useful. 

A good jumping off point for this is from a recent article from the Bangkok Post, bangkokpost.com, the article is titled: Long Stay Visa becomes sole enticement. Quoting directly: "Business leaders suggest the Government use the new long-term Residence Visas”, (I have done other videos on this. "Residence" that is kind of a misnomer. In the layperson’s sense it is okay in that yeah, it is a Long Stay Visa but it is not Residence, you are not a Permanent Resident in Thailand with these visas, at least as they have been proposed. This could change. As we have noted in other videos this is only approved in principle, we have not actually seen what these look like. So the practicalities and how exactly that all plays out remain to be seen.) Quoting further: "use the new long-term residence visas to attract foreign professionals especially in the fields of information technology and engineering to work in Thailand as they can help the country with technological development." Quoting further: "The Board of Investment is also running the Smart Visa program which also aims to attract foreign investments." Yeah in a lot of ways, there is seemingly a lot of overlap between these two. We have quoted in other pieces of information and other sources that it looks like BOI is going to administer this new Long Stay Visa program.

Now paradigmatically the way that I look at this a little differently is the Smart Visa, essentially the protocols or criteria associated with issuance had to do with the business activity you were looking to undertake in Thailand. These new "proposed" visas, it looks like they are more concerned with the type of person coming in. For example there has been discussed, again none of this is set in stone, but there has been discussed Wealthy Retiree Visa. There has also been discussed a Nomad Visa if they can prove up a certain amount of income per year. 

So the thing that I would say in taking away from this video, what we are looking at moving forward with respect to these proposed long stay visas is that the long stay Visa adjudication is looking at the person whereas the Smart Visa is kind of looking at the activity. Now again there is overlap here so that is not a cut and dried analysis and it is especially not cut and dried because again these are only approved in principle. The Press has been all over these Visas, talking about them as if it is a foregone conclusion; as if we know what the requirements are, we don't. The regulations have not been published yet at least as of the time of the filming of this video. As soon as they are, we will certainly update you on this channel as that situation evolves.