The Kingdom of Thailand one of the world’s great tourist destinations. The Kingdom of Siam, today known as the Kingdom of Thailand, boasts of the worlds prettiest beaches and tasiest food. A great number of people who go to Thailand wish to remain for a long time. At times this can be complicated because of Royal Thai Immigration rules.

There are a number of visas available to foreign nationals wishing to enter Thailand. That being said, the amount of time that the visa will be valid depends on many things. First, a 1 year Thai visa is generally not granted in Southeast Asia. A possible explanation for diplomatic missions near Thailand being reluctant to grant one year visas is probably due to the fact that applicants in the past abused the system. However, some consulates and embassies will issue a one year visa pursuant to submission of an acceptable application.

Should a foreigner desire entry to Thailand for business purposes, then the Thai Business Visa is likely the most appropriate travel document. The visa for business purposes doesn’t confer an entitlement to employment in Thailand, but simply provides the bearer with the right to apply for a Thailand work permit. Employment permits are promulgated pursuant to approval by the Minstry of Labor in Thailand.

If one is thinking of staying in the Kingdom in order to be with family, then the Thai O visa is something to consider. The O on this visa stands for “other.” This travel document could be employed by those foreign nationals with Thai kin. It is something of a “miscellaneous” category. It may be possible to obtain a Thai work permit on this visa, the work permit application might be rejected due to the fact that the Thai Labor Ministry requires one obtain a Thailand business visa.

(This is not legal advice nor does it purport to be. No Attorney-Client Relationship is created by reading this piece.)