Thank you for clarifying this for me. I was under the impression that it was illegal which is why I didn't book it for my initial entry into the country.
I've seen some people online speculating this is a push from the hotel industry in thailand because of people can come for 3 months, they qualify for short term rentals and will rent out condo's on airbnb instead of staying in hotels.
Airbnb is illegal in thailand but for many like myself it's a more financially friendly option and I HATE hotel rooms for longer stays there isn't enough space and hotels that have alot of space or kitchenettes make the trip out of budget.
I had to stay in a hotel for 10 nights whilst searching for a condo to rent (I moved here) and it cost $700USD at a budget hotel which is only $200 less than my rent for my condo which gives me way more freedom and 5 star amenities.
The hotels need to rethink their business plan and stop pushing airbnb out or messing woth twh tourism laws because they dont want to adapt to the way the world is moving. No one likes a small crammed room for extended periods.
For someone your age that makes sense you think like this but for someone my age who has a remote job and Thailand offering a 5 year DTV it allows me to travel SE Asia for 5 years whilst utilizing Thailand as a base hub.
So maybe they think it's weird behaviour too even tho lots of other people are in my position doing the same thing.
Not true in my experience. I had a DTV 5 year visa and they tried to deny me entry even though I've never been to Thailand before and had all my paperwork and proof of stay. They didn't give a reason either, I had to speak to someone else about it and was let in with my fiance who also has a DTV.