Good evening.
I have just stumbled across the Thai elite visa and wondered peoples opinion, if you can afford it I believe with my limited amount of reading into it so far appears like a good idea at short glance.

Im dubious about the Thai government changing the rules or cancelling once the monies are paid. I wish to take an early retirement and this might be the answer for me or at least definitely worth considering.
I would be very interested in your thoughts...thank you
Thank you

P.S I was also wondering with the Thai elite visa whether the new TM30 would still apply?
Thank you

24 minutes ago, Clive said:

Im dubious about the Thai government changing the rules or cancelling once the monies are paid.

It is highly unlikely that they would not honour the remainder of any visa if they were to wind up the scheme - and under the T&C's they are supposed to compensate members if they do. As it's government backed you've little to worry about.

 

23 minutes ago, Clive said:

P.S I was also wondering with the Thai elite visa whether the new TM30 would still apply?
Thank you

Yes it does. You have to abide by immigration law like everyone else.

11 minutes ago, Clive said:

P.S I was also wondering with the Thai elite visa whether the new TM30 would still apply?
Thank you

From what I've read so far, it does not exclude you from anything, so you would still need reports etc (though some help may be available to help do them). 

It's like a super tourist visa, still have to out / in at least once every year  I think...with a limited concierge service tagged on.

Only makes sense if you have ALOT of money to burn and are not eligible for a marriage based visa or retirement based visa. I can't figure out any way that this visa makes any financial sense unless someone is well off to the point that the price is pocket change to them. And if the price is pocket change then there are sh*tloads better countries to blow your money. 

 

13 minutes ago, UKresonant said:

It's like a super tourist visa, still have to out / in at least once every year  I think...with a limited concierge service tagged on.

 

Its more like a Non-O for people who want to just pay money for one and don't want to be married or retire. 

 

 

24 minutes ago, UKresonant said:

From what I've read so far, it does not exclude you from anything, so you would still need reports etc (though some help may be available to help do them). 

It's like a super tourist visa, still have to out / in at least once every year  I think...with a limited concierge service tagged on.

It’s not a tourist visa and you don’t have to out/in once a year. You can apply for a 1 year extension of stay every year from immigration for 1,900 baht.

No disrespect to anyone's responses here but the only persons opinion I truly trust on this matter is UbonJoe. I hope he responds to this.

If you don't care about the cost then it's a good idea since it make everything more simple. The 20 years elite card has the best value. 

2 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

If you don't care about the cost then it's a good idea since it make everything more simple. The 20 years elite card has the best value. 

Taya - What's the cost of a 20 year elite card?

8 minutes ago, HuskerDo said:

Taya - What's the cost of a 20 year elite card?

I can't find the link on their website but it was 500,000 baht for 5 years or 1,000,000 for 20 years. 

15 minutes ago, HuskerDo said:

Taya - What's the cost of a 20 year elite card?

https://www.thai-elite.com

Check the pinned topic 

 

 

46 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

I can't find the link on their website but it was 500,000 baht for 5 years or 1,000,000 for 20 years. 

Thank you Taya. Much appreciated. 

43 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

https://www.thai-elite.com

Thanks Peter.

I don't think that they'd cancel it outright, but that they might change the rules down the line in a way that affects existing visa holders is a legitimate concern. As with pretty much everything in Thailand, you pay your money and you take your chances - there will be no recourse if anything goes wrong.

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

https://www.thai-elite.com

That is not the official website. The correct one is this one. https://www.thailandelite.com/?locate=en

1 hour ago, HuskerDo said:

Taya - What's the cost of a 20 year elite card?

This one is 1 million baht. https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-superiority-extension-membership?locate=en&popup=false

The one with more perks is 2 million baht. https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-ultimate-privilege-membership?locate=en&popup=false

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

This one is 1 million baht. https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-superiority-extension-membership?locate=en&popup=false

The one with more perks is 2 million baht. https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-ultimate-privilege-membership?locate=en&popup=false

 

Really need to have quite alot of disposable income for that to make any sense. 

18 minutes ago, Caldera said:

I don't think that they'd cancel it outright, but that they might change the rules down the line in a way that affects existing visa holders is a legitimate concern. As with pretty much everything in Thailand, you pay your money and you take your chances - there will be no recourse if anything goes wrong.

For the 16 years since it started there have only been improvements as to what is available.

There are still people that got the original lifetime membership are still using but it is only for 90 day entries. They were offered a new 20 year deal that allowed one year entries and 5 year visas but some chose not to take it.

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

For the 16 years since it started there have only been improvements as to what is available.

I didn't mean changes to what packages are being offered, as they don't tend to affect existing members anyway, not until the next renewal at least. I meant rules in general. For example, if you bought an Elite visa just a few years ago, you didn't know that they'd resurrect their insane TM.30 reporting.

 

What's next is anyone's guess - MY guess is that health insurance will eventually become mandatory for all long-stay foreigners, including those on an Elite visa. While I'm generally in favor of that, the actual implementation is what worries me, based on past performance.

3 hours ago, UKresonant said:

From what I've read so far, it does not exclude you from anything, so you would still need reports etc (though some help may be available to help do them). 

It's like a super tourist visa, still have to out / in at least once every year  I think...with a limited concierge service tagged on.

There's no need to do out/in. One year stamp can be extended at immigration office.

48 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

This one is 1 million baht. https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-superiority-extension-membership?locate=en&popup=false

The one with more perks is 2 million baht. https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-ultimate-privilege-membership?locate=en&popup=false

Thanks Joe. Much appreciated.

I have a Thai Elite visa but clearly my opinion ain't worth <deleted>, so 'no comment'...!

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

For the 16 years since it started there have only been improvements as to what is available.

There are still people that got the original lifetime membership are still using but it is only for 90 day entries. They were offered a new 20 year deal that allowed one year entries and 5 year visas but some chose not to take it.

Must be a good process as CNX Immigration office have catalogues on how to apply and signs up everywhere inside the ground floor?????????????????

I've been a Thai Elite Member for about 14 years. 

I joined when the life long membership was available (for 1 MB).

 

Its useful when not married to a Thai (and no Thai dependents / children) and are well under 50. 

I was early 30's when I signed up - it was a very good decision. 

 

There is always a risk of the government cancelling Thai Elite, but that has not happened in about 15 years of Thai Elite operation. There was an attempt to cancel the program which had suffered massive financial loss due to poor management and perhaps a dash of embezzlement. As the scheme was / is backed by the Government they are responsible and would have been subject to a Mass Action lawsuit of Thai Elite members, who would have won. The Government could not cancel Thai Elite without full compensation (returning funds which the company no longer had and thus required a government bail out) or by breaking the law (and losing a law suit) - thus, at the time the company continued, new management brought - the 5 year visa was brought in later and seems to have been the main reason for the continued success of the program.

 

In short, the Government can't legally cancel Thai Elite, in theory they could add a few more hoops to make people jump through, but the whole idea of the Thai Elite Visa is 'hoop avoidance' and convenience. 

 

Regarding the TM30... Thai Elite bears no impact or benefit regarding address reporting. Thai Elite members have to report their address just as any other alien in Thailand. 

 

That said: I've never filled out a TM30 as I have nothing to do with any extensions etc at Immigration (I travel in and out too frequently). If you have to get an extension of stay etc, then you'll need to do the TM30.

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 20196 yr by richard_smith237

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

For the 16 years since it started there have only been improvements as to what is available.

There are still people that got the original lifetime membership are still using but it is only for 90 day entries. They were offered a new 20 year deal that allowed one year entries and 5 year visas but some chose not to take it.

I was offered to change my Life Time Membership for the 20 year one - I refused. 

 

If I'm in country long enough I have to do a 90 day extensions at Chaeng Wattana (I've only needed to do that twice in 14 or so years of membership).

 

Thai Elite also changed the Transportation from the Airport from 7 Series BMW to Camry (I never understood why, but it never bothered me) - I used the AOT Camry transport about 20 times per year, its extremely useful.

 

The Thai Elite lounge (upon arrival) has been closed down, the 'other lounge) is at the far end of the baggage hall and not very handy if your baggage carousel is at the other end - the lounge never bothered me unless with my family where it was useful for my son to sit and have a drink. 

 

The Fast track through Immigration upon departure and arrivals has not changed and is extremely handy - it saves a lot of time when passing through the airport, especially when I look across and see swathes of people in the other Immigration queues. 

 

Thai Elite changed the Massage Option from any massage to Thai Massage only (I don't like Thai massage so no longer use this option, it irritated me at the time)

 

That Elite changed the Golf Course Vendors, there are now less golf course vendors and the ones that they do have are expensive courses, it became difficult to find friends to play with if I was playing on a course where my friends had to pay 4000 baht for a round. 

I still get the yearly medical (at Bumrungrad or Samitivej) which I take and find useful. 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thai Elite also changed the Transportation from the Airport from 7 Series BMW to Camry (I never understood why, but it never bothered me) - I used the AOT Camry transport about 20 times per year, its extremely useful.

For you old members only? 

I used it last week - was as always a new 7 series BMW that drove me both ways. I am on the 500k/5 year one tho.

Personally getting the Thai Elite Visa is one of the best things I have ever done. (although I qualify also for a Marriage Visa) 

 

If you read other posts, you can see how many people have problems renewing their visas and having worries entering, even with valid visas. Getting the Elite Visa, will completely remove these worries and just that is completely worth it. It really is a worry-free visa.

 

If you can afford it, it is surely worth the money in my opinion.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, elviajero said:

It’s not a tourist visa and you don’t have to out/in once a year. You can apply for a 1 year extension of stay every year from immigration for 1,900 baht.

I was under the understanding it was a tourist visa.. A special one I agree but yes a class of tourist visa. 

 

Which is why you only get the 2 year driving license with it. 

10 hours ago, elviajero said:

It’s not a tourist visa and you don’t have to out/in once a year. You can apply for a 1 year extension of stay every year from immigration for 1,900 baht.

Sorry to disagree with you but it is certainly a Tourist Visa. Privilege Elite personnel will tell you that. That is why with an Elite Visa, you cannot get a 5 year driving license, etc. I call it a Glorified Tourist Visa. It does not have some of the benefits of a Non-Immigrant Visa.