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

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.

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.

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.