Verdict On Thailand Elite Card To Be Reached Soon

[old wanderer]

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Well Old Wanderer, the Thai Elite scheme certainly found their market in you. Too bad [for them] there aren't more around like you to actually purchase the card. You certainly aren't the only one living in Thailand with disposable income, just one of the few foolish enough to spend it on this dead dog. :D

I guess it is just a matter of perspective. What is foolish in life?? This past year I was really chastised by other people that are 20-25 years younger than myself because I continued to race motorcycles....but I did it for my personal enjoyment.....sort of like the line out of Connan the barbarian...."What? You want to live forever?"

A lot of people that have responded focused on "investment". I am not looking to make any more money, I am comfortable where I am. I am now looking forward to spending what I have accumulated, in manners that bring me happiness.

My best planning would have me being buried broke and without a thing left in the world....pretty hard to manage the timing, as fortunately/unfortunately a lot of my family live to be 100+. My only love is my wife, and she will be well taken care of.

Anybody ever read Atlas Shrugged by Ann Ryand? Well I am the quintessential John Gualt. Fed up with my government taking from the best and brightest, controlling and stifling their most creative years with incessant regulations and demands for ever increasing taxation , while forever expanding the entitlements and privileges of those that have contributed the least to society. I quit. I have contributed enough to an ungrateful society. Much better to have friends, to share good wine, good stories, a bit of music and some memories with.

Will I purchase an Elite Card? Well I will study the matter after the March 15 meeting.

This may all be a hypothetical discussion of something that may well not exist in the near future.

[LivinLOS]

old wanderer if you have been sufficiently astute in business to have accumulated the assets

you have referred to then I simply cant understand why your wisdom doesn't carry through

to seeing what a farce this scheme is ?? it does not compute with me

if you have read so many threads regarding this scheme I'm speechless that as of today

you are still willing to burn one million baht knowing it could fold at any time

Well since my post amused so many of you... I will explain my thinking on this...

One of the considerations on canclelation of the 1700 elite visa was the cost. If they were not thinking that they would refund the money, then why would they worry about this cost?

Face.. The fact a governmentbacked scheme ends up ripping many high net worth people off.. Looks almost as bad as gyping CNN over thier multi millions of advertizing..

Your kidding yourself if you think they will pay anyone back.

Secondly, as many of you found out, (that have been here a while) those that came here and had to place 400,000 baht in an acount for a retirement visa, then the rules were change to require 800,000 baht, they grandfathered those people who had the previous amount, and did not require them to come up to the new standard. If you have an Elite Visa, do yuo think one day they will say as you come through immigration...."Sorry sir, go home and apply for another type of visa"...I think not, unless you were contacted and notified that this type of visa would not be acceppted after a certain date, and here is a refund for what you paid for this visa....

Yes but 400k or 800k in your bank account is still under your control..

So if you really believe that the small group that has purchased an elite visa will be treated with the same cavilier attitude shown to the 30 day visa runners....well nice to have those rose colored glasses.

No they would probably give you a really big wai while they pocket your money.

Why?? Look at your retiement visa....800,000 baht in the bank....that money is not usable, unless you want to leave LOS, and cancel your retirement here. 90 day reporting, yearly re-qualification. The 200k differnce in cost of a Elite Visa is a minor amount to pay for the benifits.

Why is it not usable.. You can spend it through the year.. Just top it up a few months before renewal again..

And again.. Its yours.. You can move it spend it do what YOU want with YOUR money..

[sriracha john]

Circa 2002 conversation:

Thaksin: "What? We've only sold 32 of my Elite Cards?"

TAT aka TPC: "Yes, sir. We can't seem to generate any interest in it."

Thaksin: "Dammn it... What can we do?"

TAT aka TPC: "Perhaps in 4 or 5 years, people will wander around and if they are old enough... they will be interested in getting one."

Thaksin: "WHAT?!?! ONE?!?! By 2007, we'll have sold at least a half of million of them by then."

TAT aka TPC: "If you say so, sir. Would you like another daiquiri, sir?"

Thaksin: "Yes, I'm planning my strategy on how we can get away with killing thousands of people next year and it's going to be a long night."

[Tony Clifton]

I posted this 2 weeks ago with serious doubts about the "birth" of the CNN interview and how it was "conceived".(see in red below)

A coward. Will do an interview with CNN outside the country while he only accepted an interview here ONCE with Sorayud, a partisan. Never agreed to a live debate, unless it was behind closed doors.

Rubbish.

He did already several short interviews with CNN before his ouster. One was just before his speach at Sanam Luang. And before anyone here against comes up with the ludicrous notion that he paid CNN for interviewing him - CNN have also interviewed Sondhi Limthongkul at that time.

At least stay with the facts, please, before rumor and gossip gets established as fact.

He may have paid CNN the outstanding bill for his cherished Elite Card advertisement in exchange for an interview though

He can do all the interviews he likes outside the country now, he's started his own little "innocent boy" campaign, NY Times as well today, you can't deny that he has always denied the opportunity while he was here, unless it was done HIS way,ONCE ON SORAYUD's show as I said before, which proves that there's a lot he won't answer to because he DOESN'T want to and there's too much to answer to.

Wait until they come up with charges soon, you won't see him in a studio anymore.

And now, look what I found...

Thailand Privilege Card (TPC), operator of the elite card, bought airtime on CNN worth 149 million baht.

The media spending drew attention when Thai Representation Co, representing CNN in Thailand, demanded TPC settle bills.

He said the committee picked up the case for investigation only to find that no contract had been signed.

The panel had called for documents and was later told that the debts were cleared by phuyai.

''Who else can clear [this sum of money] if not Mr Thaksin? The party will follow the matter,'' said Mr Sirichoke.

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/28Jan2007_news01.php

Sure smells like Thaksin and his usual tricks.