Are you applying for a bank account in every country you visit for 3-6 months? Cause that’s what a DTV is for. For multiple visits lasting a few months.

I pay my rent through Wise, electric bills via Lazada (accepts all cards incl Revolut and Wise), and True/dtac simply accepts foreign cards. The only thing that’s unavailable to me is the QR code payment… or practically unavailable cause TrueMoney doesn’t let let you do much without submitting additional documents like a visa with a work permit (so not DTV), but somehow I don’t miss it at all.

@Brian ********

I’m not “long term m” per se, but I have 1yr contract for a house. I pay my rent through Wise, electric bills via Lazada (accepts all cards incl Revolut and Wise), and True/dtac simply accepts foreign cards. The only thing that’s unavailable is the QR code payment.

(or practically unavailable cause TrueMoney doesn’t let let you do much either without submitting additional documents like a visa with a work permit a excludes DTV)

Guys, this is getting ridiculous. This topic comes up on almost every other post and to me this whole war between: “DTV is a tourist visa, you’re tricking the system yada yada yada” and “paying for Elite or getting a proper LTR is for suckers yada yada yada” comes down to the definition of “permanent” or “long term” residence.

There are legal definitions for that, and based on those the first group is obviously right… but don’t get me wrong: these definitions are not always applicable to the times we live in so the second group istn’t always technically wrong either…

Back in the day having a place where you intend to stay for the foreseeable rest of your life was a given. Now so many people have no f’in idea where they’ll end up in 2 years, that no wonder 180 days seems to them like a LONG TERM stay per se. DTV is for just these guys. And (IMO) for those who want to check if Thailand is for them. If after some time spent in The Kingdom they decide to settle - that’s what LTR and other visas are there for. And tbh only then you should actually need a Thai bank account…

Anonymous participant 159 same here with my EU card.

Congrats! Yeah, a letter of explanation helped me too.

@Lutz ******

Robert Merrell that’s unfortunately not an options - many items (like vintage instruments or British-made ATC studio monitors) are impossible or nearly-impossible to obtain in Thailand and most others are 60% more expensive so I’d still rather pay some $10k in import fees than lose five times that on trying to recreate a kinda unique inventory… But yeah, I’ll consider flying. Thanks.

@Robert ********

but yes, I get the point that bringing that much gear could raise suspicion from

customs / immigration that I might actually intend to do some kind of a business serving local clients. Which is totally not true and easily provable, but anyway. Thanks for the input, that might actually be worth taking into account when deciding on what to bring and what not.

@Robert ********

I work only remotely and that’s exactly what my DTV visa allows me to do. I work exclusively for European and American clients, I’m not doing any services for Thai clients nor do I intend to, so I do not need a work permit. That’s confirmed by two independent legal experts in Thai law, so I’m pretty certain that’s actually the case.

@John ******

that would still be a good deal for me. It’s still under 10% of what I’d have to spend to even try to recreate the inventory I plan to bring, so that doesn’t scare me at all. Thanks for the company name, I’ll reach out to them for a quote.

@Robert ********

that’s unfortunately not an options - may items (like vintage instruments or British-made ATC studio monitors) are impossible or nearly-impossible to obtain in Thailand and most others are 50-60% more expensive so I’d still rather pay some $5-10k in import fees than lose five times that on trying to recreate a kinda unique inventory