Thailand is introducing changes to visa rules to attract wealthy foreigners and qualified professionals. The requirement for a minimum annual income for obtaining a visa for wealthy citizens has been lifted, which makes long-term visas more accessible to a wide audience.
The goals of innovation
The main goal of the Government is to stimulate foreign investment and strengthen the economy in the post-pandemic period. According to Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supattanafong Punmichao, such measures will allow the country to compete with other regions of Southeast Asia for resources and talented specialists. Thailand took similar steps in 2018, when it introduced a “smart visa” for highly qualified technology professionals. At that time, these measures helped to increase the volume of foreign direct investment in the IT sector by 15% over two years.
Expert opinion
Pitchakorn Phumpan, an economist at Bangkok University, notes: “Thailand is traditionally attractive to foreigners due to the quality of life and low cost of living. Reducing visa barriers will enhance these advantages and make the country a leader in the region in attracting capital.“
Thailand follows the example of Singapore and the UAE, which have already successfully implemented simplified visa regimes for foreign professionals. For example, in Singapore, long-term visas for highly skilled workers increased the inflow of investments into the financial technology sector by 20% over three years.
In 2024, Russians chose Thailand as the leader in buying real estate abroad. According to the Tranio analytical agency, Thailand accounted for about 27% of all transactions, while Georgia took the second place and the UAE the third. Turkey‘s share has decreased significantly due to political instability and rising housing prices. Thailand continues to be not only a popular vacation destination, but also a promising choice for living, working and investing.
According to the updated visa program, Thailand aims to become a leading hub for remote specialists and investors. For those who are looking for a comfortable working and living environment, the country offers low cost of living, well-developed infrastructure and a favorable climate. Detailed information about remote work visas is available on the official platform. visa-digital-nomad.com .
Since 2016, I have been developing and coordinating programs for digital nomads and improving visa procedures at the European Commission.
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