Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing whether or not these new Visa-free programs will expire in 2024. So what are we talking about?

Thailand has always had Visa exemptions with various countries associated with holders of certain passports can come to Thailand without the need for a Visa and just be granted a certain amount of status. Depending on your nationality that maybe 15 days, 30 days, could even be 90 days depending on your nationality, depending on your passport. What we have seen in the last roughly quarter has been, and in my opinion it has been laudable on the part of this Government to peel back all of the visa requirements in order to, well not all of them but a large number of them, in order to encourage tourists. Let's make it as easy for them to get here as they can. We are going into high season. Lord knows we have had a bad couple of years in terms of Tourism because of the response to the pandemic; I'm not going to say the pandemic, I largely blame the response, not the thing itself. But okay, we are past that and again I find it laudable that the Government is saying "No, we need to encourage tourists so we're going to impose a lot of this Visa-free stuff", but all of it seems to have an expiration date and it's right around about March of 2024 which is traditionally when most people kind of view the end of high season is occurring. 

Now I think we are actually probably in 2024, especially as this Government is also prioritizing making Songkran a major sort of international event, I could see where we kind of have a lull in high season this next year where it sort of tapers off in February, March is largely kind of quiet, and then I can see where we have another kind of boom if you will in April associated with Songkran and even going into May because there are quite a number of Thai holidays all throughout that time period. So again family members, foreign family members of Thais and things I imagine will probably come into Thailand on a pretty large scale basis. 

But long story short, I think it's worth pointing out that yes as of now, all of these Visa free programs have an expiration date and for the most part that expiration date is about March of 2024. Will they extend these Visa privileges further out past that point? We don't know; it remains to be seen. I think it is prudent to presume they won't, it's sort of one of those "plan for the worst, hope for the best" kind of things. I think it is prudent to presume no, it won't be extended but it is very possible it could be and we will certainly keep you updated on this channel as that situation evolves.