@John *********

Don't be ridiculous. A DTV is a non-work authorized visa. It has the same "employment prohibited" restriction as tourist visas or retirement visas. In practice ALL of these visas allow you to work remotely for non-Thai based entities. Stock trading is about the same "work" as opening your banking app or internet banking anyway.

@John *********

It doesn't matter. It's possible to work online on any visa. What matters most is what visa is most appropriate for his situation.

@Manfred *********

The only immigrant visa that exists in Thailand is a permanent residency visa.

@Bang ****

You're being absurdly ridiculous. As is if your time is that valuable. You probably spend way more than 23 minutes a day scrolling through this very forum. I find Ride with Gabi's videos quite informative.

@Andi **********

To be honest, I don't see why any Thai embassies or consulates, all of which are now on the e visa system, make a distinction between residents and non-residents anymore given that no one is allowed to apply in person anymore (a very backwards move) thus no issues with overcrowding, which would have likely been the main reason for having this rule in the first place.

Of course, where this rule is still in place now, it could simply be to reduce the Consular staff's workload so they don't have to sort through as many applications, though in the case of China, you would never see any large number of applicants being foreigners anyway.

Everything in China is dominated by locals...unlike say in Thailand, where you have expats everywhere, in China, foreigners are rare.

@Donna *****

Things are changing fast....Cambodia is eliminating passport stamps for air based travelers as of last month. Thailand for departing travelers by air at BKK/DMK and Phuket if using the auto gates.

Thailand set-up auto gates for arriving and departing Thai citizens at many land borders years ago, but they're not yet being used, probably because most neighboring countries (Malaysia being the single exception) still insisting on physical stamps.

At airports, they've been used for Thais both for arrivals and departures for years, but they're voluntary. Thais can use them or get a stamp from an officer. For the time being, I've not seen any plan to force travelers, either Thai or foreigners, to use auto gates...it remains completely voluntary for now.

@Theo *******

More and more countries are eliminating immigration stamps. Thailand exit stamps now voluntary for departure by air at BKK/DMK and Phuket where autogates are installed. You'll receive one only if using a manual officer.

They'll probably need more proof than just stamps, going forward, given this fact. Perhaps a boarding pass stub for a flight would work as well as your hotel booking.

@Vitaly *******

Wrong. Some entry points should either be avoided (if you're on a particular visa) or particular caveats may apply, in order to avoid being scrutinized by immigration. These may include - being a frequent traveler on a DTV being much better than someone who only does a quick border run every 180 days to avoiding the entry point as much as possible.

Practically anyone who knows the Thai immigration system well, including experts on here such as

@James *******

will advise people to avoid the Aranyaprathet-Poipet border crossing for entry into Thailand (obviously, not relevant now as the border remains closed...but whenever it reopens, this advice will apply). I advise people it's OK to use that border crossing provided you're driving your own vehicle and are the driver of said vehicle, since drivers can stamp in outside, where immigration is more straightforward than the ones inside the arrivals building. Anyone who is coming on foot or by bus, or by private car where the driver is Thai or anyone but themselves should avoid that crossing, unless they are on an LTR visa, marriage or work visa with work permit.

Why? Since 2015, when the Bangkok shrine bomber bribed immigration there to come through, they've been VERY tough, on any tourist or any foreigner not on a long-term visa extension.

Perhaps the CNX airport scrutiny towards DTV holders isn't quite as bad as what happens to foreigners on any short-term visa at Aranyaprathet, but the reports are frequent enough to be of a concern and thus warrant that caution be exercised.

@Theo *******

That's so funny! Local Jakartans going crazy over a westerner! That doesn't even happen in the remotest hamlets of Thailand, Laos or Cambodia (and I've traveled extensively throughout all these countries including into the most rural areas). In Thailand, you could be in Umphang, Tak or outside of Sangkhlaburi and no one will pay special attention to you.

However, even in these places I've just mentioned, you'll still come across the odd westerner. Westerners are never far away in these 3 countries. From gas (petrol) stations in Uttaradit to the Mae Sariang walking street to a rural village in Roi Et, a market in Battambang, Cambodia or a Tha Khaek, Laos restaurant, westerners are a common sight almost everywhere you go.

It could also be a cultural difference though...in Buddhist countries, locals don't react with the same strange curiosity towards a foreigner as you'll find in Vietnam for instance...Vietnam is very touristy but despite this, go to certain very rural areas and the locals suddenly look upon you as if you were an alien. China is like this as well, but China is different, because it's so vast and thus most parts of the country simply don't see any foreigners.

@Ric *****

Possibly - although hardly any international flights land in CNX anyway and I've not once EVER flown into CNX on an international flight (domestic yes, many times). Yet I've crossed nearly every land border between Thailand and it's 4 neighboring countries over the years and I've flown to/from Bangkok and many places around the world...just never felt the inclination to fly to or from CNX directly.

Many international flights to CNX have been suspended over the years due to lack of passenger demand.

THAI used to do CNX-Kunming twice a week, on and off for several years but that flight isn't coming back. CNX-Chittagong, Bangladesh was another flight offered by THAI but that didn't last more than 3 months.

Bangkok Airways suspended it's CNX - Mandalay/Yangon flights (both of which were operated by ATRs) because there weren't enough passengers. Its CNX-Hanoi flights, also on an ATR-72 is also gone. Even CNX-Singapore flights on certain airlines have been suspended.

Therefore, avoiding CNX as an international entry point isn't difficult...besides, it's usually much more expensive to fly out of CNX anyway. I enquired about a CNX-TPE flight on EVA compared to BKK late last year. CNX-TPE was 25,000 Baht round-trip, but BKK-TPE started from 13,000 Baht. I could fly Premium Economy from BKK for less than economy from CNX (and of course, from CNX you only have narrowbody aircraft and no premium economy).