FlyingThai

15 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

You could take a personal loan from a bank if any bank is willing to give it... I've seen Citi offering me up to 1 million baht personal loans (they used to send me these promotional brochures and even a cut out card to go to any Citi branch to get it, preapproved)... so I guess some banks would give foreigners a loan. But that foreigner would need to have a very solid credit score, and probably already be in position not to require a visa.

If you have a credit card with sufficient limit, you could use cash advance and then pay off 10% of outstanding per month + interest, which I think is now capped below 20% but there's some withdrawal fee for every 20k baht... then just go to ATM to withdraw cash. Some banks allow you to withdraw up to 100% credit limit.

That's all I can think of... But not from an agency. I mean... if you get them to pay for you, then you flee the country, how could they get anything back from you? Maybe if you gave them a house or condo of many times higher value than the loan as a collateral, to be returned after you pay back - maybe. Same for banks, which is why they would normally hesitate giving loans to those without good credit score and residence in Thailand. It'll be tough to get, I think.

Without a work permit in Thailand and the ability to show pay slips no bank including Citi, Standard Chartered and UOB will give you either an unsecured credit card or loan anymore.

And by that there would be no need to apply for an Elite Visa.

15 hours ago, DrTuner said:

 

If I remember correctly, Thailand Elite checked on my source of funds when I applied, likely for AML reasons. I did a bank transfer. Not sure how you'd show funds coming from a credit card.

You don't have to show anything when paying by CC. You just pay. Either online or swipe the card at their office in Sathorn.

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

Can it be extended in Thailand without leaving?

Yes of course, that's the idea.

2 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

You start a new 1 year stay every time you re enter. So unless you never want to leave there’s no need to ever go to an IO. I normally escape every 6 weeks or do, being here non stop since February is driving me nuts!

Welcome to the club. I'm going batsh*t and there are only so many staycations in the same country that help keep me sane. Usually I need to leave Thailand every 3-5 weeks for a few days to stay leveled.

9 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

An Elite visa is reported to cost 500K and is good for 5 years.  That's about $15k dollars. Divided by 5 years is about $3k/year (US dollars). I don't know if a yearly fee is on top of this on top of this. I don't know the details, but if someone needs to stay it's a possibility. 

Maybe if you research it you'll find out something different, but this is my understanding.

500,000 Baht are $16,050 right now. Only the top tier 20 year option has an annual fee.

13 hours ago, cjinchiangrai said:

I wonder if you could come on an STV and switch to an elite?

 

You can but what is the benefit of that? Once you're in Thailand under the STV you have 9 months to see how the situation has progressed.

7 hours ago, Tounge Thaied said:

This is certainly only going to apply to the die hard folks that need or are desperate to get back to Thailand. A regular short stay tourist is not going to jump through all the hoops for the COE and quarantine for two weeks on arrival. If all goes well, then we could see another iteration of this to get more numbers back into Thailand. Or simply some relaxation of the requirements. Immigration must have considered this in the context of operating beyond covid... which is a good thing for future tourism travel into Thailand. Post "emergency" Covid, and when the additional Covid related requirements to enter relax, this 90 day extension scheme is going to provide a fantastic entry option and will alleviate a lot of immigration hassle for a lot of folks.

Hence why this is specifically advertised and designed for LONG STAY tourists.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

$2000 to $5000 for quarantine and food. $3000 to $5000 for health insurance for most people. Plus the flight. So, $5000 to $10,000, before your vacation starts.

 

To call them out of touch, dreamers, incompetents and timid, would all be kind and understated. 

ASQ costs $2000-$3000 on average for a nice hotel. Not sure where you get your quote for health insurance, a required policy that covers the requirements just for this model is less than 50 bucks a month. A comprehensive local health insurance such as Aetna Platinum 3400-4000 Baht per month.

I'd be more worried about the cost for the "chartered flight" and what they'll squeeze you for on these trips. One way? Business Class only?

Picketing at the U.S. Embassy and licking the streets in front of the Grand Palace. ????

As if the U.S. have any geopolitical interest in Thailand at this point. Vietnam is a far more important partner nowadays.

1 hour ago, Dart12 said:

 

 

Which raised a question for me...why you paid for multi entry at this point?  Seems the gov truly might take a year before they open borders...plus all the BS they demand if you leave.  I can't see coming and going for a long while.  I'll either bunker down here long term...or leave for what will probably be years.

Because no matter what happens with Thailand I'll definitely need to leave in January or March to take care of some things. The last time I've been back home in Europe was in December and usually I take a trip for my birthday each year in January which I'm not planning to postpone next year. Just like to have all the ducks in a row and spending some money on this doesn't hurt me at this point considering I had almost zero expenses this year.

2 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

No, they offer 25,000 for the initial 3 months then 35,000 for the yearly extensions. That's a good price if you know you're going to stay in Thailand for years because you can keep extending it for 35,000.

Is there any advantage of doing it in two steps? I chose to have this annoying matter out of the way so went for the whole 15 months plus ME Re-Entry permit that cost me 4k.

10 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

do VIP visa also take care of the 90 day reports?

They did offer this to us and even said it would be free.

However VIP Visa is in Pattaya/Jomtien and we're in BKK so not sure how she will do her reporting (I did give VIP the address in BKK to put forward on the application or whatever process is running in the background). From what I understand the first time has to be at an office and the second time forward can be done online?

Going down to Pattaya just to get the reporting done (free or otherwise) is a bit of a pain.

6 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

Japan

I lived in Japan for 5 years and have never come across a person younger than 60 who can't use fork and knife. Same goes for Korea. Let's try again.

4 hours ago, yellowboat said:

A real welcome to Thailand photo.  They need commando's to arrest a couple of lost and confused border jumpers?  Overwhelming force and underwhelming guile courtesy of junta: inept government, Thailand wide. 

How do you want to welcome illegal border crossers to Thailand?

With a bucket of cold Leos and some somtam?

Does this extension require a re-entry permit? IF so you have to get it and then you're good to go.

27 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

You need to get out of Thailand and see a bit more of the world.  Many of the most elite, refined people in the world can't use a fork and knife.  

Examples?

9 minutes ago, Swedenlars said:

I know a case from Sweden. A guy met a girl in a hotel bar. They had a few drinks, then the girl said can we continue our chat in your room ? He agreed. To cut the story short, they had sex and some hours later the girl called the police from her room claiming she was raped. In the court the bartender witnessed that he heard the girl asking the guy if they could go to his room. Didn't help. He got convicted. So that really means before you have sex with a new  lady, make her sign a form. I hereby confirm, bla bla bla. I really miss the old times. We didn't need this BS.

Or have a camera/audio in your room. ????

26 minutes ago, david555 said:

That doesn't look much "Elite kind"???? ….. more...., I think proposing something like this would disqualify immediate the application , or any scam agent just eat your first deposit ….

 

Seems more people get desperate each day ????

As if ponying up a ridiculous sum of 16 grand (US$) would have anything to do with being "Elite".

The entire premise of this program is a bunch of BS. It's basically a system to bag as much money as possible in exchange for services that are worth pennies. As soon as you live outside the vicinity of Bangkok even the package including the limousines is useless.

I got my money's worth because I value convenience and at the time of purchase didn't care much about money but to suggest that just because of it's name the program is reserved for the "Elite" is laughable. They sell these memberships to thousands of Chinese who can't even use fork and knife.

7 minutes ago, ThaiVisaCentreGrace said:

Will they really be able to secure a loan for this type of purchase?

What percent is a "low interest" credit card?

I guess this would differ quite a bit depending on what country it is from.

I was merely saying that it is a bad idea to take a loan out to pay for a Elite Visa.

I can only speak for the countries I've lived in but it was always possible to get a personal/all purpose loan without providing any particular reasons what I need it for. The interest on a proper bank loan is usually ~8%. Credit card could have a 0% APR for new purchases between 12-24 months.

Totally agree with you, I don't like buying anything except a home on credit except a bad situation forces you to do so. But in limited circumstances I could see how financing especially the 20 year no frills Thailand Elite Visa for 1 Mio would be worth it IF you have a way of paying it off. The 5 year visa isn't a great deal although still much cheaper than doing a monthly visa run, let alone state quarantine.

IMHO It would have been better having approached a visa agent at the proper time (1-2 weeks ago) and look at a more cost sensitive visa solution for 40/60k per year.