DTV approved in Ho Chi Minh!
I meant to post this earlier, but I’ve been traveling by bus and things got hectic—sorry for the delay!
Application submitted: Late night on March 11
I submitted documents including a Vietnamese investment account (not a stock trading account but a foreign investment account) with approx. 700,000 THB.
I included a bank balance certificate and 6 months of transaction history, showing an average of 350,000 –400,000 BHT and topped up to 700,000 THB a week before applying.
I also submitted Airbnb booking documents in Vietnam and my passport stamp showing entry into Vietnam.
March 13 (morning): I was asked to submit additional documents
They wanted to know about my income or how I plan to sustain myself in Thailand, and requested a full copy of my passport.
I responded within 3 hours with another bank account holding over 500,000 THB (balance certificate only),
and mentioned my YouTube channel with around 2,000 subscribers to show how I could sustain myself.
I also had a lot of travel stamps in my passport from a bus trip across Southeast Asia last year, so I explained each one just in case they got suspicious.
March 18: Visa approved!
April 1: I entered Thailand via Mukdahan from Savannakhet and received a 180-day stamp without any questions.
I applied with Muay Thai Fever in Chiang Mai under the "soft power" category.
I actually visited them in person back in February, checked out their facilities, and talked with the manager. They were super helpful and quick with paperwork. I highly recommend them!
Bonus tip:
If you fail in hcmc, don’t go to Hanoi.
Instead, take a 3,4-hour bus to Can Tho—weirdly, it's still under Hanoi’s jurisdiction, but many people have better luck there.
Good luck everyone!