I’m not suggesting it wipes your history or record.
But when you upload a picture of every page of your passport for some official to scrutinize, highlight, sign, and stamp your overstay stamps won’t be there. Your trips to other countries won’t be there. The names of places your visa was connected to, won’t be there.
Think of it this way: Everyone knows there’s a knife or cigarette behind pixellation in Thai movies, but it’s not staring you in the face.
A fresh passport without the overstay would certainly help.
People will tell you everything is in the computer but I’ve found from multiple experiences they’re looking at your pages, the photocopies or the uploads, when you apply or extend visas.
Seeing that you’ve been in since, it might not be an issue.
However, passports are cheaper than losing the DTV fee.
What I’m still trying to wrap my head around is that this country loves money yet they’re trying hard to keep a lot of people out.
Every day someone is here they’re spending money in Thailand.
They can be a backpacker or a millionaire.
The backpackers actually help the local economy the most as they’re staying and eating at mom and pop places and not resorts owned by the elite or overseas investors.
So if someone comes to Thailand and wants to stay here, not breaking laws or being a nuisance, possibly dating a Thai, possibly just enjoying everything the country has to offer including Muay Thai, hiking, nature, and weather, possibly just a pisshead who enjoys beers, whatever.
Why should anyone in brown care if they’re “living” here on Visa exempt?
It’s 30,000-60,000฿ a month the country otherwise wouldn’t have.