How long after a short stay in Thailand can I apply for a Digital Nomad Visa (DTV)?

do it twice 180 days then decide

I'll give you the same advice that a friend who has lived here over 20 years now told me 12 years ago. Come and travel around, see what you like and figure out what you don't want. Often, in order to figure out what we really need, we have to filter out all that we don't want first. Or so my mother told me about relationships, but I digress. MY friend's advice was good, but kind of irrelevant in the end, as I ended up moving where there was a job. In your case, it's not irrelevant. So travel around and then go to Vietnam and travel there, and if you like Thailand more apply for a DTV from Vietnam. You have to be out of the country when you submit the paperwork.

You cannot apply for DTV while in the country period. Apply before you arrive.

Just get the visa before they cancel it

My personal take?

Apply for the DTV as soon as you're eligible. The DTV feels unstable to me... They might change it, make it stricter, or worse case get rid of it entirely at some point. Get it now while you can, then you have 5 years to bounce around and see where you want to stay.

Technically you can do the 60-90 days visa exempt then apply for the DTV. That's what I'm doing while I wait for the 500,000 THB to have been in my bank account for 3 full months. Then in Jan I'll go to Vietnam, apply for DTV and come back. But if you don't have to wait I wouldn't.

I've only been in Thailand for 30-something days, but I've spent some time in Bangkok, Hua Hin, Pattaya, and Phuket so far. I'm by far the most knowledgeable/experienced, but if you want my opinion on staying long term in any of those places you can DM me.

DTV is a 5 year visa - plenty of time to research the country. Also must be applied from outside the country and stay out of the country while under the consideration.

You can come as a tourist see if you like it then apply from another country in the area.

Anytime