BANGKOK, Thailand – The Thai Cabinet’s recent resolution to acknowledge a new package of visa measures has been presented as part of the government’s effort to stimulate tourism and the broader economy. Yet beyond the technical details, this development reveals something more fundamental: how Thailand continues to perceive foreigners not as long-term residents, but primarily as temporary visitors.
What the cabinet decided
The Cabinet acknowledged a set of visa measures structured into three phases. In the short term, the government aims to increase arrivals. Visa-free entry for up to 60 days has been granted to nationals of 93 countries, Visa on Arrival has been expanded, and new visa categories have been introduced most notably the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) for tourism combined with remote work, and ED Plus for education with limited work opportunities.
In the medium term, the focus shifts to administrative streamlining. The number of Non-Immigrant visa categories has been reduced from 17 to 7, the e-Visa system has been expanded to cover 94 Thai embassies and consulates worldwide, and the government is in the process of revising eligibility criteria for Long Stay visas targeting retirees who wish to spend their later years in Thailand.
In the long term, Thailand is moving toward digitalization, replacing the paper-based TM.6 arrival card with the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), which now serves as a substitute for the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).
In simple terms, the government is making Thailand easier to enter, easier to stay longer, and easier to process digitally.
The question is whether this is enough.
A Law and Business Perspective
From a legal standpoint, these measures are procedural adjustments rather than structural reform. Every visa category introduced or revised including DTV, ED Plus, and Long Stay remains grounded in the same legal premise: temporary permission to stay, subject to state discretion.
From a business perspective, this distinction is critical. Foreigners may be willing to travel to Thailand, spend money, rent property, and consume services. What they remain hesitant to do is commit their lives because what is missing is not the length of stay, but legal certainty.
The Core Problem: A Matter of Mindset
First, Long Stay is not the same as Long-Term Residence. The term “Long Stay” sounds reassuring, but in legal reality it remains a Non-Immigrant visa with extended duration. Holders must still renew periodically, remain subject to discretionary approval, and lack a status approaching that of a resident. This uncertainty discourages long-term planning, investment, and the structuring of personal and financial affairs. While competitor countries market a secure post-retirement life, Thailand still offers something closer to “you may stay, as long as nothing goes wrong.”
Second, short-term measures lack a long-term pathway. Visa exemptions, expanded VoA, DTV, and ED Plus may boost arrival numbers, but they fail to answer a critical question: if these individuals wish to remain lawfully in Thailand long term, where do they go next? There is no clear pathway linking short-term or hybrid visas to Long Stay or other stable statuses. Instead, applicants are left to navigate renewals and status changes on their own.
Third, long-term policy ends at the immigration checkpoint. TDAC is a positive technological upgrade, but it is just that technology. The state is investing in the gate of entry, not in the life that follows. There is no comprehensive framework for long-term residence, no clear articulation of rights and obligations, and no integration of long-stay foreigners into the broader economic and legal system.
Thailand’s visa measures reflect a genuine effort to facilitate entry and reduce friction. What they do not yet reflect is the courage to redesign long-term residence. The country is becoming easier to enter, but not yet safer to stay in legal terms. This is not because Thailand lacks appeal far from it but because the law has yet to provide the certainty that long-term residents require.
If Thailand truly seeks to attract high-quality retirees and long-term residents, it must move beyond visas and begin addressing legal status. Sustainable economic value is not built by tourists who stay longer, but by residents who are confident enough to anchor their lives in the country.
