Hi everyone, I am a seafarer on a merchant fleet and my wife and I are currently living in Thailand. I initially considered applying for the new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) as a seafarer, but I understand that DTV is for remote workers and digital nomads, and I may not qualify under this category as I am not a remote worker.

So now we are exploring a different option, and I have some specific questions:

1. At first I wanted to apply as the main applicant (Muay Thai training program as the activity) and my wife as dependent. But I realized that in this case her visa fully depends on mine. If I get delayed at sea (for example, more than 6 months), she cannot stay in Thailand without me and cannot exit/re-enter by border run to reset her stay. So now I am thinking of switching roles and letting my wife be the main applicant.

2. Could my wife apply as the main applicant (for example, cooking school program), and I apply as dependent? Would Thai Immigration accept me as a male dependent spouse?

3. We are currently living in Thailand, but plan to fly to Romania and apply for DTV visas at the Thai Embassy in Bucharest based on this plan. Does anyone have experience applying for DTV in Romania?

4. If we don’t get the DTV visas abroad, we will return to Thailand. I will enter as a tourist (which is fine), but my wife has already spent almost 3 years continuously in Thailand on a student ED visa. We will take a re-entry permit for her before leaving, but will this long history of ED visa cause any problems at the airport or with Immigration? Also, if she returns with a valid re-entry permit, will she be able to extend her current ED visa again as normal?

Any personal experience or advice would be highly appreciated. We want to be 100% legal and safe, even with my frequent travels as a seafarer.

Thank you so much for your help!

Does anyone know if having a Soft Power Muay Thai DTV is it ok to travel around Thailand to train at any gym other than the gym used in the application? Or is this not checked at all at the moment if only extending by doing border bounces?

Hi everyone!

I’m currently in Vietnam and will applie for the DTV Visa. I’ll be flying to Germany soon for about three months, and the Muay Thai school I’m in contact with recommended applying for the visa here in Vietnam.

If my application gets approved while I’m still here, how much time do I have to actually enter Thailand before the visa becomes invalid? Is there any limit?

Would really appreciate any insights — thanks a lot in advance! 🙏

Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone here can help me with a few questions about the DTV (Soft Power Muay Thai) Visa.

I’m currently in Indonesia (Kei Islands) and planning to apply from here. I’d be very grateful for any insights:

1.) Does anyone know a good Muay Thai gym in Bangkok that offers training vouchers or flexible packages?

I plan to stay in Thailand for only 2 months before going back to Germany for work for 4 months — and then returning to Thailand. So a full 6-month course might not make sense if I can't use the whole time.

2.) I still have an unused Tourist Visa from Cambodia, but ended up entering Thailand via Visa Exemption at a land border because the Tourist Visa process took too long. Could that cause issues when entering Thailand with the DTV Visa?

3.) Would it be better to enter Thailand again now using the unused Tourist Visa (by plane from Indonesia), and apply for the DTV Visa later from Germany?

Travel history this year:

Dec 2024: Entered Thailand with Visa Exemption. Was questioned at Immigration, but had a nice conversation in Thai with them and they told me, I should get next time a proper Visa and did too many 30 days extensions (last year and only Visa Exemption entry) but could enter Thailand again...

Feb 2025: Left to Cambodia for 10 days

Mar 2025: Returned to Thailand via Visa Exemption again

Apr 2025: Left Thailand to Indonesia

May 2025: Planning to return (flight from Indonesia)

I didn't do any 30 days extensions this time :-))

Thanks so much in advance! Really appreciate any advice or shared experience 🙏🙏🙏

Hi everyone! I’m hoping someone here can help me with a few questions about the DTV (Soft Power Muay Thai) Visa.

I’m currently in Indonesia (Kei Islands) and planning to apply from here. I’d be very grateful for any insights:

1.) Does anyone know a good Muay Thai gym in Bangkok that offers training vouchers or flexible packages?

I plan to stay in Thailand for only 2 months before going back to Germany for work for 4 months — and then returning to Thailand. So a full 6-month course might not make sense if I can't use the whole time.

2.) I still have an unused Tourist Visa from Cambodia, but ended up entering Thailand via Visa Exemption at a land border because the Tourist Visa process took too long. Could that cause issues when entering Thailand with the DTV Visa?

3.) Would it be better to enter Thailand again now using the unused Tourist Visa (by plane from Indonesia), and apply for the DTV Visa later from Germany?

Travel history this year:

Dec 2024: Entered Thailand with Visa Exemption. Was questioned at Immigration, but had a nice conversation in Thai with them and they told me, I should get next time a proper Visa and did too many 30 days extensions (last year and only Visa Exemption entry) but could enter Thailand again...

Feb 2025: Left to Cambodia for 10 days

Mar 2025: Returned to Thailand via Visa Exemption again

Apr 2025: Left Thailand to Indonesia

May 2025: Planning to return (flight from Indonesia)

I didn't do any 30 days extensions this time :-))

Thanks so much in advance! Really appreciate any advice or shared experience 🙏🙏🙏

Hi all is a dtv visa the exact same regardless of if applied as remote worker or soft power. For instance if i come over on muay thai for 6 months can i still take up remote work ? Thanks

[members only]

Full Refund of training fee if visa application declined for any reason. Up to now we have only refunded if failure due to our documents but the landscape has changed and we are in touch with what is going on. We will now refund you if the application fails for any reason. Its bad enough that people are loosing the application fee, at least now the Muay Thai fee is not at risk.

Concerning the DTV: I'm in America, and the Muay Thai organization has packaged their letters and sent them to me. The letter states that I want to start training in June. On the Thai Embassy visa application, it asks for the flight information and hotel/accomodations information. They ask that entry should be within 3 months and not longer.

I have not purchased a flight or reserved a hotel yet, so my visa application is in saved mode. My bank has issued to me a written statement for required funds, dated April 11. My question is can I delay my return to Thailand until September? If I delay the application, will my bank and the Muay Thai class need to change their dates? If I book the flight for June and reserve a hotel, then apply and get approved, can I cancel the flight, change the flight date to September, will I still have a valid DTV 4-5 months from now? It is possible for me to leave here in July, or earlier, but I have a financial opportunity that's difficult to put aside. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Hello everyone 👋

I had my soft power dtv (Muay Thai) approved end of last year, have entered the kingdom once since then for just under 90 days and completed the Muay Thai sessions that I’d pre paid-for as part of my dtv application, which was in Phuket.

My next visit to Thailand will be in July and I’ll likely be staying in hua hin, where I plan to continue Muay Thai training.

Seeing as I no longer have any pre paid sessions, and will be training in a different gym to the one I applied for my dtv with. Am I breaking any rules or creating any risk of not being granted entry in July?

Great to hear from anyone with experience of a similar situation 🙏

DTV Muay Thai: Must you train at the gym you receive the letter from? I know it sounds straight forward, but I’ve heard different things.

I have been training and fought Muay Thai for years.

I have friends currently everywhere from Chiang Mai to Phuket. Some using DTV. Of those none of them train at the gym their visa is from.

The reason for my question is: I see a lot of people going through gyms that are not reputable for serious competitors (more for fitness/tourist appeal) and I don’t want to be tied to training there.

I don’t mean any disrespect, everyone has different goals. I just want to do my due diligence.