What are the recent changes to Thai visa rules and how do they affect long-term stays?

Well for me this took long enough. I not understand why people get so upset about Immigration and staff of Thai Consulates who are JUST doing their job. As said many times get the correct visa for the purpose of your stay. People traveling for long time don't live many months or years on the same place. If you want to stay inside Thailand for long time without doing ANY work, yes including on-line work there is the Thai Elite visa for 5, 10 or 20 years. If you need an income to survive get the Work Permit and Non Immigrant B visa, by employers, your own company or use a company like IGLU. Thailand does NOT need to change their rules for your benefit. YOU have to change your visa into a correct one to stay as guest in this beautiful country.

The bottom line is that the recent changes are bringing those who are abusing visa exempt/tourist visas ‘out into the open’ it’s time to get legal or go home.

Yep... They tried that 7-8 years ago... I remember shouting very loudly, in a proper thai, at the embassy in Vientiane... I was asking to have a chit-chat with the owner of the huge Mercedes Benz parked where everybody else was sitting on the ground. My case was suddenly sorted out! I don't recommend though :/

Now those that work illegally will move to ed visa.

this will affect genuine tourist who are tourist for long time.

If you want get rid of people work illegally, don’t destroy for those are genuine not illegally people also, ask rather for a bank statement so they can prove they have income from abroad.

But just let’s throw everyone under the same stone.

Staying here on back to back 30 dayer that is obtained at overland boarders is a thing of the past.

Just get the correct visa for the purpose of your stay. As we mention many times, Visa Exempt Entry and Tourist Visa are not designed to live long term in Thailand. Get organized and do as the visa rules describe, use loopholes, claim it does not count for you, no problem, as you see it will be one day that loopholes getting closed.

It looks like Admin didn't like my comment?! lol

It was bound to happen eventually

There's a surprise.

Does this apply to METV's too?

planing on going there next month for my second TV ... that should be OK? 😕😕

Nothing new here...they've had this policy for a long-time, too many visas and they denied

What is it with the photos?

It Had to happen.

Too many saying it was the easiest place to GO..!

should be interesting to see how this plays out..