What are the current challenges for obtaining an M visa for freelance journalists in Thailand?

That's where we are at this point. I will let you know. Not sure if I can pin this thread, if not I'll just start a new one. Thanks for all the help

That's our plan, thanks! I'm the optimist in the family and he's the pessimist ;)

Thanks for this. That is our plan, and my son is coming over as a dependent on my visa. He is DEFINITELY not doing any illegal journalism work, since we know the consequences are severe. If this doesn't work out he will either change his line of work, or try to get hired in some journalistic capacity by a company in Thailand. At the moment we are just trying to understand while they are acting like he will be denied when he is a high profile, established correspondent dedicated to one channel, and is following all the instructions they have asked for.

เดวิด ฟอสเตอร์ Thanks very much, and hope to meet you too :) That would be our next question, is how to "keep at it" in a respectful way. He hasn't been denied yet, of course, and has the contact of the attache who did his interview whom he is in touch with. We are offering to supply her with any more documents necessary. If he should be denied, does he have any options? Any channels for appeal?

Thanks very much. This is the website he has been going off of, and has followed the instructions to the letter, including paying for more than 250 euro of required official translations. Nowhere in the instructions does it mention that a work contract is necessary (kind of a direct contradiction of what it means to be freelance, right?). I don't know about in other countries, but in France hardly any foreign correspondents have contracts anymore. He has monthly pay checks from them that are fairly substantial, and a letter from them saying that he is their committed correspondent. Basically, he has everything they ask for. I still have some hope, but he seems to think after the interview yesterday that it is done. I'm not sure if the fact that I have a job and we are going there anyway works in his favor or against him. FCC is also on our radar, thanks, and he will become a regular when we get over there.

Thank you for this

We know several TV and radio journalists working there.

So 2014, right? Hard to believe they haven't updated their website to reflect this. Also, there is this statement put out in 2016 that says fewer than 5% of journalists will be affected

I will, thank you. How long has the political climate been this way (simplistic question, I know). It seems that the rules may have changed for journalists in the last few months, since the indications on the website haven't changed to reflect it.