dickyknee

I want to know more about the Thailand Elite beer glasses.

The Thailand Elite glasses are not really beer glasses, but I thought I would still be fun

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I want to know more about the Thailand Elite beer glasses.

My bank charges $29 a transfer no matter the amount...maybe you need a new bank.

He's talking about the exchange rate offered, not the transfer fee.

It's well known all around the world that it you convert to Baht outside of Thailand before doing the transfer the exchange rate sucks. This is due to capital controls.

Yes, that's covered in Expating 101...always do the hard currency conversion into the soft Third World currency in the Third World country. He must have slept during this lecture day.

except, payment for the elite membership doesn't give much option in this regard if you don't have a Thai bank account to transfer from.

Thai Elite gave two options... To transfer 500k THB currency or to transfer in USD. If I transfer in USD to their account I need to transfer $15600 to them.

Current exchange for 500k THB to USD is about $14800, so if I transfer in my own currency I am eating $800 over 500k THB. If I wire transfer in THB my US bank is giving me a very silly exchange rate of 32.58 which is a full point lower than the interchange rate. So it will cost me approximately $15400, which is about $600 over 500THB.

I was expecting to do a "soft transfer" as someone mentioned above, but that is not an option. They gave two options with two seperate amounts... USD or THB. This isn't Thai Elite's fault by any means. They are protecting themselves against underpayment or fluctations in exchange rates. Not an issue for those who have a Thai Bank account and receiving deposits to that account for whatever reason, but a significant amount for those without a Thai account. Funny because it would actually be cheaper for me to just make 17 ATM withdrawls and then deposit cash into their account.

Come on now, you starting your new Thai life as an "elite" person (maybe even a farang-Thai one-percenter) so what's a measly $800...hardly worth quibbling over ehh.

My bank charges $29 a transfer no matter the amount...maybe you need a new bank.

He's talking about the exchange rate offered, not the transfer fee.

It's well known all around the world that it you convert to Baht outside of Thailand before doing the transfer the exchange rate sucks. This is due to capital controls.

Yes, that's covered in Expating 101...always do the hard currency conversion into the soft Third World currency in the Third World country. He must have slept during this lecture day.

except, payment for the elite membership doesn't give much option in this regard if you don't have a Thai bank account to transfer from.

Thai Elite gave two options... To transfer 500k THB currency or to transfer in USD. If I transfer in USD to their account I need to transfer $15600 to them.

Current exchange for 500k THB to USD is about $14800, so if I transfer in my own currency I am eating $800 over 500k THB. If I wire transfer in THB my US bank is giving me a very silly exchange rate of 32.58 which is a full point lower than the interchange rate. So it will cost me approximately $15400, which is about $600 over 500THB.

I was expecting to do a "soft transfer" as someone mentioned above, but that is not an option. They gave two options with two seperate amounts... USD or THB. This isn't Thai Elite's fault by any means. They are protecting themselves against underpayment or fluctations in exchange rates. Not an issue for those who have a Thai Bank account and receiving deposits to that account for whatever reason, but a significant amount for those without a Thai account. Funny because it would actually be cheaper for me to just make 17 ATM withdrawls and then deposit cash into their account.

if your actually in Thailand, try opening a Thai account so that you can transfer your foreign currency so that the exchange happens in Thailand.

Then transfer the 500k from that account.

Depending on your current visa, you may need to shop for a branch that will let you, but it's not impossible, even on an exempt stamp.

If you're not in LOS, I understand, I wasn't either when I paid mine. I wore the shitty exchange on the chin because the only bank account I had at the time was a joint one with the ex-wife. I happily paid the extra to reduce my risk exposure.

How did you all decide to handle your wire transfers? My bank is cutting a huge commission out of the exchange rate. Wire transferring 500k THB will cost me about $500 more than what the actual exchange rate is today if I go directly thru the bank. Current rate is 33.58, but bank is calculating for around 32.50. Yikes...

I'll eat the huge fee if I need to, but seems like there would be a smarter way.

My bank charges $29 a transfer no matter the amount...maybe you need a new bank.

He's talking about the exchange rate offered, not the transfer fee.

It's well known all around the world that it you convert to Baht outside of Thailand before doing the transfer the exchange rate sucks. This is due to capital controls.

Yes, that's covered in Expating 101...always do the hard currency conversion into the soft Third World currency in the Third World country. He must have slept during this lecture day.

If I recall correctly they accept THB or USD as the currency, though I'm not sure how the USD amount is calculated. Best contact them.

I m not a hater, did I write i hate you? , but if you guys are so happy, why you don't pay more? . I will propose the immigration to charge now 3 millions bahts because you are so keen to hand your money to immigration.

for people reading me, you don't need an elite card to stay long term in thailand, you don't need a student visa, all you need is a tourist visa back to back. and if you have problems, go on vacation somewhere else for a

few weeks and come back. . but believe me, with 500k bahts even in Europe or in a USA bank account , they know you have money and they will not ask you any questions except how you make money. best way Is to give a letter by explaining them how you can stay in Thailand for so long and why you don't need to work.

there is no queue anymore since they added 10 booths at the immigration, you may get 4 or 5 guys in front of you. that s all. even on departure, it' s fast and efficient.

you don't get limo rides and invitation like that to eat for free , all they want is more money from you. get a clue! GET A CLUE!

Except, you can't *stay* in Thailand any longer than 60 days(90 days with an extension) on a standard tourist visa.

Repeating it won't make it true.

everybody I meet at the immigration during my visa trips have fun.

I meet guys from USA, Canada, Australia and even Russia and we go eat together while waiting for our visa to come. I met even guys over 50 who said they don't mind to stay with a tourist visa.

I just enjoy to leave my town times to times and be on my own.

having an elite card instead , I can afford it if I wanted, would not kick my butt out of my routine life.

I m under 50 yo, still lot of energy and I like to travel.

if you are like me, a real man who is vip, you certainly don't need an elite card . don't believe the elite card is the only solution, the tourist visa is the way to go for people who like to be in control of their life.

with the money saved, I can use it for people around me instead to use it for my little egocentric comfort.

with the elite card you still have to leave the country once a year, hotel is not paid and you don't get a limo service from your house to the airport for free. you still have to pay for your flight and food. all you get, you save 5 minutes at the immigration office because an officer take your passport and ask you to go seat while she stamps your entrance card and you don't have access to airline lounge with free drink and you still need to register like anyone for Internet access.

at the end, you spend much more than 500k, probably around 700k to 1 million.

"Hotel is not paid" why pay for a hotel when I can sleep in my apartment. Though if needed, there are some good discounts at real 5-star hotels available to card holders that aren't available to multi-entry tourist visa holders.

"you don't get a limo service from your house to the airport for free." Provided and organised as part of the service, though if travelling on a multi-entry tourist visa you would have to organise it yourself and pay (more) upfront... If it was needed to do a visa-run (and double charged to elite card holders) like you say, which it isn't.

"you still have to pay for your flight and food" flight where? There are some good discounts available at restaurants with the card that aren't available to multi-entry tourist visa holders.

"you don't have access to airline lounge with free drink" neither does anyone visa-running on your schedule and budget...

"register like anyone for Internet access." Yeah, I've got cable internet in my apartment that I pay for like everyone else. My cellular plan is bundled for Internet when I'm mobile.

no need, if you show you have 500k, they give you tourist visa one after one. no question asked.

I m in Thailand for 8 years now and under 50.

And how much money and time have you spent when leaving Thailand 40 times, on visa runs or to apply for a new visa in those 8 years ?

VIPinthailand's time is probably not very valuable.

This is why he can afford losing it on visa runs.

For those who value their time, there is the Thailand Elite option

32 border runs in 8 years is great, get to go visit a great western country and shop for proper quality items at a fraction of the price they are here in thailand. For those that value their SANITY tourist visas are the best option, For the price of the PE visa you can take 4x 1 week holidays a year staying in a 5 star hotel and living the life of luxury or playing golf on some great golf courses so why would anyone buy the PE visa......

Do you and VIPinthailand do your visa runs together?

no need, if you show you have 500k, they give you tourist visa one after one. no question asked.

I m in Thailand for 8 years now and under 50.

this is something i've never heard before. are you doing border runs?

no need, if you show you have 500k, they give you tourist visa one after one. no question asked.

I m in Thailand for 8 years now and under 50.

Bullshit, on a standard tourist visa you need to leave after 90 days.

Seems strange.... Thai's doing themselves outta money.. ?? Tourist visa = 1 year.. But TiT

Have you seen the queue for people doing the renewal, and the overtime the staff are putting in to process them?

It is actually almost logical... If that's the strange part.

Btw, some of us have a 5 year tourist visa...

I understand from someone who knows about this matter that the Beast confessed and had an interesting time with other prisoners last night.

john

"Stranded"?

I'm sure most of them could have gone home, though disappointed.

Depending on nationality, the 500 baht "fee" is still cheaper than going to your consulate.

Depending on what you need it for, if your an Australian, a stat' dec' from the honorary consul in Chiang mai may suffice and is free and he'll do it on the spot.

Hi ,

I am working offshore 4 weeks on / 4 weeks off, meaning I spend less than 90 days in the kingdom over a period of 6 months.

I am staying in the country using the stamp on arrival since almost 7 years with this rhythm which seems to be fine regarding the law.

Last time I went through the airport customs, officer told me that the law changed and from now on, one was allow to stay only 90 days per "year" in the kingdom using the stamp on arrival....

They let me enter the Kingdom but wrote a warning just under the stamp in my passport....

Since then, I am looking all over the different official Thai website and all other kind of information source to know if there is a new law but so far I did find nothing!

How can I be sure that such a new law has not been voted?

If nothing changed, how can I prove it to the customs officer?

Best Regards.

As is previously stated, the official "law" has no limitation in the number of exempt stamps.

But,

I couldn't be bothered, knowing I was going to be continuously hassled/interrogated about this. Not the nicest thing after coming off shift and spending 8 hours in the air to get to Thailand.

I now have an elite visa.

So thailand is not that special or different.

Don't tell that to the Thai. They firmly believe they are Very Special and Different in ways the rest of the world just doesn't understand.

To the OP:

Are you absolutely sure that your husband is presently experiencing severe depression?

I often tell my wife, when things start getting on my nerves that I feel like doing myself in at times, but I`m never really serious. If so, has he told you what is making him depressed? Or could it just be something to do with your relationship that is making your husband feel down in the dumps? If that`s the case than marriage counselling would probably be more beneficial and appropriate. Does he not sleep well, or drink or smoke or both excessively? What other signs does he display that suggest he is severely depressed? Perhaps his behaviour is quite normal when he is around other people?

I would advise first speaking with your husband in-depth to get to the root of the problem prior to submitting him for psychiatric treatment, for a problem that maybe easily resolved with a little tea and sympathy, care and understanding.

That's why it's an illness.

That's one of the most difficult things to deal with when suffering, as its known there is no rational reason to feel depressed, it kinda compounds also.

Its up to your birthday.. Hence you do it before your Birthday you get the year..

After you get year plus x months..

Renewing a drivers licence at Chiang Mai is a piece of cake, you should have no problem.

Just don't show up at the DMV wearing shorts...

Or no pants at all!

Every time I've been there has been with flipflops and shorts (but collared shirt) and it was a piece of cake.

Though, yesterday I do notice a sign in English stating that it was a government building and appropriate dress is required.

Whatever that is...

How many times have you renewed it?

Me also, renewed mine yesterday. 4th time I renewed it.

I went and enquired this afternoon as my license expires soon.

They won't give a 5 year license with an elite visa

Initially I was told I needed a long term visa, though when I replied that I have a long term visa, the lady was quite firm stating it has to be a non-immigrant visa...

So it seems I'll be going through the renewal process *again* next year.

I got new temporary licenses today, but valid for 2 years???

I think it was a stuffup.