Over 8,000 foreigners have a Thailand Elite Card, surge in applicants in 2019

 

 

More than 8,000 foreigners have bought a Thailand Elite Card, with the company which operates the program reporting a surge in new applicants.

 

Somchai Soongswang president of Thailand Privilege Card Co, which operates Thailand Elite Card, told Thai media on Friday the company had reported revenue totaling 1.3 billion baht, a 27% year on year increase.

 

Elite Card holders can benefit from between 5 and 20 year multiple entry visas and other perks including the use of limousine services, golf and spa access, free medical check ups and help with banking and legal matters and 90 day reporting.

 

Mr Somchai said that there are now a total of 8,602 Elite Card holders, up from 7,135 in 2018.

 

Chinese nationals accounted for the biggest surge in new applicants, up 88% percent compared to last year. 

 

The top 5 nationalities with the most Elite Card holders are:

 

China (1,747)
UK (479)
Japan (443)
USA (387)
France (348)

 

The Elite Easy Access, which offers a five year stay in Thailand for a fee of 500,000 baht is the most popular card, followed by the Elite Superior Extension, which offers a 20 year stay in Thailand for a fee of 1 million baht. Third most popular is Elite Family Excursion card which offers a 5 year stay for 800,000 baht. 

 

Mr Somchai said Thailand Privilege Card Co will now focus on the Asia-Pacific in a bid to increase the number of Elite Card holders to 10,000 over the next year.

 

The company said it will target high earners in Bangladesh, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and the UK.
 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-12-15

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Or we could bring the Machiavellian immigration laws back into the 21st. century? Just sayin'

A better option would be a 1 year 10k visa\extension without any income, balance or bank statement nonsense. Govt would make more money

The direction things are heading is now becoming clearer.

 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

More than 8,000 foreigners have bought a Thailand Elite Card, with the company which operates the program reporting a surge in new applicants.

I hope that doesn't mean 8,000 foreigners with guns who will be noisy neighbours, if yesterday's report regarding the German who bought an Elite Card?

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

A better option would be a 1 year 10k visa\extension without any income, balance or bank statement nonsense. Govt would make more money

Albeit at a slightly higher price (12.5K to 17K), this is already available from many immigration offices and agents located throughout the Kingdom.

 

16 minutes ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Albeit at a slightly higher price (12.5K to 17K), this is already available from many immigration offices and agents located throughout the Kingdom.

 

I thought that according to forum rules we shouldn't "suggest illegal activity".

just a few more thousand to go then mandatory insurance for all over 50s on long stay extensions?

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Elite Card holders can benefit from between 5 and 20 year multiple entry visas and other perks including the use of limousine services, golf and spa access, free medical check ups and help with banking and legal matters and 90 day reporting.

 

90 day reporting is a benefit! wow who knew and i get mine for free ????

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

The direction things are heading is now becoming clearer.

 

Yeah.. they'll merge Non-OX with TE, and can O/OA. By  meant "merge requirement"...

M2H looks so civilized, more and more.

Mr Somchai said Thailand Privilege Card Co will now focus on the Asia-Pacific in a bid to increase the number of Elite Card holders to 10,000 over the next year.

 

The company said it will target high earners in Bangladesh, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and the UK.

_______________

 

Good news now the UK after Brexit is part of Asia-Pacific ????

 

7 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

just a few more thousand to go then mandatory insurance for all over 50s on long stay extensions?

 

90 day reporting is a benefit! wow who knew and i get mine for free ????

Most agents charge 200 bht!

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

A better option would be a 1 year 10k visa\extension without any income, balance or bank statement nonsense. Govt would make more money

But that would mean more folk staying here, which is not what they want.

 

It's going to be exclusive, expensive and difficult, so be prepared.

54 minutes ago, Momofarang said:

I thought that according to forum rules we shouldn't "suggest illegal activity".

I take it you have never clicked any of the Ad links on the ThaiVisa.

So that's 8000 mugs then.

10 minutes ago, SmartyMarty said:

So that's 8000 mugs then.

beat me to it!

Funny, when I saw the headline I was immediately curious which nations led the pack. I immediately thought of China and Japan. Given US has more wealthy expats and far larger population as a whole Is not surprising. France is a surprise. All the smart French abandoning wealth taxes and the changing face of the nation. 

Who started this Elite card? Is it now something that is consistent with the original intent? 
 

Rhetorical

Think if one has money to burn it would be in a place less smokey ????

43 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

France is a surprise. All the smart French abandoning wealth taxes and the changing face of the nation. 

Not a surprise for me, the (obnoxious) French bourgeoisie is lage enough to produce a few hundred TE cases.

2 minutes ago, Momofarang said:

Not a surprise for me, the (obnoxious) French bourgeoisie is lage enough to produce a few hundred TE cases.

Yep, most are on Samui running cheap limo,s!

So the poor retired Farangs who don't have enough funds

to keep in the bank,and seem to be leaving in droves,are

been replaced by very rich Chinese,the plan seems to be working.

regards worgeordie

1 hour ago, SmartyMarty said:

So that's 8000 mugs then.

Yup, 8000 mugs with money and peace of mind.

You would be one too if able to afford ????

16 minutes ago, BMW Overlander said:

Yup, 8000 mugs with money and peace of mind.

You would be one too if able to afford ????

I can afford many times over, I'm just not gullible.

6 minutes ago, SmartyMarty said:

I can afford many times over, I'm just not gullible.

I think the Elite visa does exist

3 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Albeit at a slightly higher price (12.5K to 17K), this is already available from many immigration offices and agents located throughout the Kingdom.

 

Are you able to mention any of the Immigration Offices ?

1 hour ago, SmartyMarty said:

So that's 8000 mugs then.

As a wise man once said..."we will see".

What happens when you flash those cards at immigration? More smiles? More wais? Free coffee? An exclusive "we won't point at random things in your passport and get angry" privilege?

3 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

Albeit at a slightly higher price (12.5K to 17K), this is already available from many immigration offices and agents located throughout the Kingdom.

 

Only for over 50s, I'm talking all ages and a simple 10k a year would stop the corruption

3 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

just a few more thousand to go then mandatory insurance for all over 50s on long stay extensions?

 

90 day reporting is a benefit! wow who knew and i get mine for free ????

They come and collect your passport, take it away and do the report for you. You don’t have to waste time and money going to immigration and doing it yourself. If your time is “free”, you are very unusual, my time is worth a fortune to me. 

3 hours ago, Yadon Toploy said:

But that would mean more folk staying here, which is not what they want.

 

It's going to be exclusive, expensive and difficult, so be prepared.

why would you not want people here who spend money and support local businesses and partners. Thais just don't think things through properly