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CMD, you are not getting a visa when you come to Thailand, but instead get an "on arrival permit". The purpose of this special arrangement never was to allow somebody to live almost permanently in the country. In fact it is a very fair system and it became abused by a great deal of farang "free-loaders" who just used it to circumvent a legal visa by travelling to Mae Sai for the day. In fact, it is not that difficult to get a multiple entry business visa to come and go as you wish if you have legitimate business there (hitting the red light districts does NOT count as "legitimate business interests"!). I don't understand the outcry over Thailand's government, wanting to get a better handle on just who is living in their country! In many cases (certainly not alll) there are undesirables that have just come to abuse a system where their pensions or savings will stretch farther because of the exchange rate. These people, despite their cries of how much they spend in Thailand, are NOT being altruistic in their intentions! They are there because THEY benefit from being there - not because they are hoping to contribute to Thailand's economy! And what they spend, while surely contributing to the economy, is on consumables like beer and food for themselves.
I have no more to say on this matter.
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