richard_smith237

Yup... I quite agree... Very rudimentary calculations based on what maybe flawed observation and assumption gives the following. CCTV Frame rates are 25 fps The SUV travelled ~2m in 2 frames... thats a speed of 90 kmh. The SUV Travelled ~2m in 4 frames... thats a speed of 45 kmh. If the measurement is slightly off and its not 2m but 1.5m. The SUV travelled ~1.5m in 2 frames... thats a speed of 33.7kmh. The SUV Travelled ~1.5m in 4 frames... thats a speed of 67.5 kmh. Yes, its rudementary, however, in the most favourable light - the SUV was travelling at 33 kms... in the most damning light, the SUV was travelling at 90kmh.... my guess is the SUV was travelling somewhere closer to 60 kmh - which is a reckless speed to enter a junction at which the visibility of crossing traffic is blocked.

I think their biggest market was the 5 year Membership - its seems a lot of people were getting that visa option, I suspect very few now will at that cost. I think Thai Elite have set their marketing strategy too high and this could cost their bottom line. I can imagine meetings where they are discussing people queueing up for the 5 Million Baht and 2.5 Million Baht memberships and they've projected ahead with fantastical grandeur and no one on the room has stepped back and said... "hang on a minute... really......????"

Happend before - we purchased something for my son from Next Thailand with free delivery (value was about 1300 baht)... but the shipment came from overseas.... Thai customs calculated delivery which nudged the total cost up over 1500 baht, and then they charged us something in the region of 700 baht Tax (which included their handling charge or something similar)... Seemed very dodgy to me...

Indeed - this would be the logical way to set things up.... What about regular post - i.e. grandparents sending presents over etc.... Are customs going to be jumping all over those packages too ??? and does this mean packages are going to take much longer to get through rather than the usual 1 week to 10 days ?

Right of way at unmarked junctions of equal status is to the right - however, that right of way is yielded when someone is already 'in' the junction... the Trike was in the junction before the SUV reached it (i.e. before the SUV enters the camera frame the trike is in the junction). Thus any point discussing giving-way to the left is moot. At his junction although the north-south road running parallel to the railway tracks, along which the white SUV was travelling is the wider, raster road, it is the 'lower status' of the two roads. The 'east-West' road along which the Swiss-Man on the Mobility trike was travelling is the primary road, this is most likely due to the added complication of the railway crossing and prevention of east-west traffic backing up across the tracks / crossing due to cars having to give way to the North-South road.... No stop 'signs'... But thats a very 'American' thing... The line on the road also denotes 'stop' (fixed / unbroken white line)... While there often is an associated, there doesn't have to be and not having a sign does not make the road markings void. There is also a possibility that the road markings are remnant of a previous road 'set up'.. but they don't look so old... So I'd argue that give way lines (stop lines) were added to the junction to denote right of way and they just didn't bother getting round to the signs. Thats not a surprise in Thailand where the priority at many junctions remain 'ambiguous' or in contradiction to common sense because officials just don't care until something happens.... they can't be bothered to put up signs here because 'the boss' didn't tell them to.

Sooner than that I think... not specifically the swiss-guy, but another innocent motorist (maybe a motorcyclist) because the junctions along that road are clearly a terrible design and with 'most people' driving in a manner many would consider dangerous, and others would consider 'with complete disregard for the safety of anyone else'.... another accident at this same location and similar junctions along that stretch are surely a daily occurance.

😂........I think it is you that cannot read videos...............😂 I think its quite clear that the approach of the SUV was at speed.... it enter the camera frame 'at speed'... entered the junction 'at speed' and took out the swiss-guy 'at speed'.... This is apparently ok to do for some forum members, because regardless of legal right of way, its the way 'most people' approach and travel through this junction... so killing someone who has right of way doesn't matter as its their own fault (apparently).

5 year sticker - but each entry gives you 1 year... I've not heard of that option with Thai Elite - but its good to know its possible. It would appear that your visa is a 5 year P.E. Visa (rather than the 5 year S.E. visa which I have).

As he's 24, he may well have completed Military Service... its an unknown and somewhat irrelevant. Punishment should of course be inline with any other Thai lad who's caught behaving in the same manner. The issue of course is that the punishment is not severe and often just passed over - this enables the the whole of society to behave with total disregard for the law. As the article quoted - a few days ago a Thai Lady *(about 50 years old) a very wealthy CEO caught drink driving nearly 4x the legal limit - the Thai Police had 'chest cams' and they recorder her abusive language (calling the Police offer 'sub-human' etc)... this recording went viral in the Thai social media of course. I wonder if the CEO and this Thai-British lad receive the same level of penalty - such behavior has to involve an automatic imprisonment if Thailand is going to make any inroads to this national endemic of DUI. This is the story here, there was far greater response on Thai social media than this forum. https://aseannow.com/topic/1325957-executive-arrested-for-drunk-driving-and-attacking-police-in-bangkok/

Pathetic ! Dad could easily be Thai. for all you know. Less likely with a boy called Matthew thought.... The lad is 24, so an adult... I don't know what kind of upbringing leads to that, but however solid the upbringing, the young lad can go off the rails at any time, particularly in a place such as Pattaya. I'm constantly evaluating how I can do better to bring up my son so he doesn't end up doing something silly such as this... Ultimately, we can't choke our children, they have to make their own choices and be aware of the consequences.... A 24 year old going off the rails - Booze, Ketamin, accident, DUI... its the norm. I know a lot of Thai friends, I do not know a Thai person who has not had a drink driving related accident... I also a lot of Westerners here, I only know of two westerners here who have had a drink drive related accident, but its probably more than two.

The 20 years cost you 2 Million Baht last year, full perks ? Which Visa sticker did they place in your Passport ??... S.E. (5 years) or P.E. (1 year) - both renewable for duration of membeship.

Agreed... I believe Thai Elite are shooting themselves in the foot moving towards selling an more expensive service with a limit on perks, rather than just a really solid good value service. If they were to go back to the 500,000 baht for 5 years Membership - No perks, they'd continue being successful. I wonder how their new sales and profits look like with the new points system and pricing compared to previous years.

True... If from the optics of 'only needing the visa'... If travelling a lot and using a lot of perks you'd go through the 35 points very quickly. Example: I travel in and out 8x per year (alone) - that 3 points per trip: 24 points total. That would allows limited remaining perks... 1 yearly Medical Check up... or 5 massages, or 5 games of golf. Thus for many, IF interested in the Visa alone, then your suggestion above makes sense... But, if someone is a frequent traveller and will use the perks a lot - then the higher memberships may be a better choice. --------- When I first joined... I used the perks loads. Travel in and out about 8x per year - 24 points per year. Golf 3x per week (when here) - about 52 points per year. Massage 3x per week (when here) - about 52 points per year. Full Medical 1x per year - 10 points per year. Thats a total of 138 points with normal usage.... Usage is less for me know as I've pretty much stopped playing golf and don't use the massage so much... So I basically use about 60 points per year. Whether membership or transferring is worth it or not is quite an individual matter.

Its the S.E. Visa... which is a 5 year Visa... BUT, I have to do an extension every 90 days. ... which seems bonkers.. whats the point of putting a 5 year Visa Page in our Passport, and then allowing us 90 days each entry, or having to get an extension. Personally - in 15 years of membership I travel so much I've only needed to file an extension twice.... so the inconvenience has not been noticed by myself, however, the S.E. visa is not such a great option for someone who's staying here long term and never travels. I wonder, if upon transfer Thai Elite would be prepared to switch over the Visa Type from S.E. to P.E. ------------- S.E. Visa (5 Year sticker) - but need an extension every 90 days, renew Visa every 5 years for duration of membership. P.E. Visa (1 Year sticker) - Renew Visa each year for duration of membership.

'used' its not like a pair of shoes that gets 'worn out'... & its not the same... > 'Gold' 5 years membership comes with 20 points per year - 900, 000 baht. > 'Diamond' 15 years membership comes with 55 points to spend on privileges per year - cost is 2.5 Million Baht. The Op is charging 3.4 MB for 20.5 years, no points system - perk unlimited. The issue there is of course that there is also a transfer fee which goes to Thai elite - it was an % of the prevailing rate and the prevailing rates have chanced, so I'm not sure if the transfer fee's have increased. BUT - IF the Op can offer 20 years for the same price (including trx fees) its still a better deal for someone who travels regularly and uses a lot of perks than buying direct. This is an issue for someone who's staying here long term without wanting to leave the country. The S.E. Visa is a 5 year visa, but an extension is needed every 90 days, so instead of doing a 90 day report and having Thai Elite do that for you (or doing it online) you have to go to immigration in person for the 90 day extension. It would be good if Thai Elite could sort this out and bring it into line with the P.E. Visa (that most have with the 5 year option) which is a 1 year Visa renewed every year and no extension of stay is necessary (but you need to be present at immigration each year to renew).

The original memberships were lifetime memberships and cost 1 Million Baht. Very soon that went to 2 Million Baht for 20 years. Given the Op has 20.5 years remaining on his Membership I suspect that it has already been transfered once and the Op is the 'second user'... and has used up 9.5 years of the 30 years which had been transfered to him.... He's now offering the remaining 20.5 years at a rate far cheaper than the 5 Million Baht for 20 years membership.

Lifetime was for the original memberships... (i.e. mine is lifetime for me)... But, upon transfer only 30 years is transfered (taking you to 75 yrs).... Its a shame they don't allow the life time to transfer, but that would have some memberships being transfered to children & friends etc and getting transfered perpetually....

The maximum length of membership that can be purchased directly from Thai Elite is 20 years. The original life time memberships (that I have) allows 30 years to be transfered with full unlimited perks / privileges. The Equivalent memberships > 'Reserve' is 20 years membership by invite only, with 120 points to spend on privileges - cost is 5 Million Baht. > 'Diamond' 15 years membership with 55 points to spend on privileges - cost is 2.5 Million Baht. > 'Platinum' 10 years membership with 35 points to spend on privileges - cost is 1.5 Million Baht. Spending Points: Airport Transfer cost 1 Point. Lounge Access cost 1 point. Golf costs 1-3 points (depending on the course) Yearly Health Checkup costs 10 points Massage cost 1-3 points (1 for Thai massage / 2 for aroma / 3 for spa package). Thus the ops 20.5 years of remaining membership with unlimited perks that the op is offering for 3.4 Million baht is 1.6 Million Baht cheaper than the prevailing rate - it also doesn't limit the new member to 120 points. In my case: 30 years transfered membership - theoretically could be valued higher. If 20 years = 5 Million Baht, then 30 years = 7.5 Million Baht (which is an insane price IMO). BUT - IF someone is in the market for the 20 year Thai Elite Membership - the Ops deal (and my deal) is a good one - the issue of course is that most people in this forum are not in that market and can't understand those who may be.

Rubbish - read the Thai Forums.... i.e. Pantip.com... Thai's have not forgotten and that incident is brought up in response to similar incidents (drug / drink driving) etc and when the wealth are involved in an incident in much the same manner and frequency its brought up on this forum.

That rings true with me... When someone is speeding in the rain, spins out of control and crashes, his behavior is deliberate, the potential consequences of such actions are know, the actual consequence is not accidental - it is an 'incident'... as accident implies a lack of fault. A child falling into a chair and knocking the tea-pot off the table is an accident !!! I read a lot these stories where the car spun of the road and killed xxx in a terrible accident - it seems to verbalise the avoidance of blame at a specific individual whose actions were deliberate. In this case we have a tax drive who was 6x the legal driving limit - his action do drink that much and then drive was deliberate, it was no accident that he was in that state, it was no accident that he got in the car, the consequences while not deliberate have a degree if predicability when someone is that drunk - I think 'incident' is a more appropriate wording.

Wasn't the guy I complained about in this thread then ??? Seem to be the same character who's called a lot of people...

Any... just don't bring a Hatchet...

Thank-you for your warming response to my PM... appreciate the saucy photos & see you in the Blue Oyster at eight tomorrow... !!! 🙃 👨‍❤️‍👨

And I wonder what the gas was like in a room of 5 guys who've just had a Cholecystectomy....

Always good for a positive outcome..... over the past year I suspect my insurance has paid out a lot... (about 700,000 baht in total) - its good to know that there are cheaper alternatives... i.e. your 270k surgery can be had for 25k in a public hospital... How will you insure yourself in your late 60's and 70's... even 80's while here ???