Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Thai Visa Extensions. For those who are unaware, when you come to Thailand and depending on your status, it may be possible to get a Visa extension in Tourist Visa status, Visa Exempt status it may be possible to extend one's status. In most cases that we deal with especially here in our office, we are usually dealing with Business Visa and Marriage Visa extensions, Retirement Visa extensions; we are not generally talking about, we deal with them but not so frequently that we deal with like a Visa exemption, extension. But Visa Extensions are dealt with here in Thailand under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior under the Immigration Department, not dealing with a Visa issued by a Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad, so understand the distinction there. 

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article in the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, and honestly the thrust of this article goes entirely in a different direction from the thrust of this video so I urge those who are watching this video, go check out that article if you are interested, a lot going on in there. The article is titled: Putin's call to arms could benefit Thai tourism. Again I urge those who are watching this video go check out that article; I am going to quote a small except for purposes of this video. Quoting directly: "One of the problems with charter flights is that passengers are expected to return home on the pre-arranged flight, whereas the latest Russian travellers may be looking for an extended stay. However, Thai Visa rules are certainly flexible enough to create extensions at the drop of a hat."

I think that is being a little cavalier with the way things are really running right now. Yeah I definitely think the paradigm is encouragement of inbound travellers so I think that is definitely the case but to think that extensions are going to occur “at the drop of a hat", I don't think that is overly prudent moving forward and I will say why. One, the Emergency Decree is now gone. A lot of the discretion associated with in-country conversions, change of status and extension, a lot of discretion was granted to Thai Immigration Officers under the Decree to allow those things. The Decree is now gone. The paradigm that existed prior to the Decree and the paradigm that I think will probably return is "look you are in Non-Immigrant status. You need to leave the country to get a new Visa if you want to change your status.” At the same time, it is not as easy to convert or extend as it was in the past.

Again, when we were dealing with extensions especially kind of atypical ones especially going back like two years ago when people were running to Immigration in almost a stampede, Immigration Officials were exercising a lot more favourable discretion associated with extension because where were folks going to go? They didn't really have any alternatives. So yes it has been relatively easier to deal with extensions the past couple of years than it has in the past. But the enabling Act, the Emergency Decree that allowed that is now gone. So while I am not saying it is just going to overnight turn into what it was at the end of 2019, I do think it is prudent to be aware of this and not presume you are just going to be able to easily extend your status here in the Kingdom of Thailand.