Chinese jump at 'elite' Thailand visas to escape coronavirus

[Bedfont]

5 hours ago, eeworldwide said:

Woaaah guys. Batten down the hatches!!!

 

7 Enquiries in ONE DAY!!!

 

It will be the solution to all of Thailand's woes.

he is just one agent

 

[Grumpy John]

I am retired so the grueling 1 hour trip to do the 90 days and annual renewal isn't the end of the world to me...but in the true tradition of Aussies the world over I like to b1tche and whine about it.  The 90 days is pointless anyway!  So, thanks but no thanks for the opportunity to pay a big chunk of cash for something of little value to me.

 

On the other hand if they had a scheme, that worked for the average Joe, to become a permanent resident without the need for visits to immigration, I would be interested! 

[ravip]

The Thai Elite Visa is just a glorified tourist visa!

LOL LOL LOL On this world, there are many 'glorified' objects to take advantage of the rich. That extra money has to be relieved from the rich man/woman, anyhow!

 

Here the problem is that it says 'Chinese jump at 'elite' Thailand visas to escape coronavirus' - the word Chinese seems to bother some persons unbearably.

 

Here are some glorified objects, just for comparison sake. The famous phrase There's a sucker born every minute comes to mind...

 

[newatthis]

14 minutes ago, ravip said:

 There's a sucker born every minute comes to mind...

Not really. If you have the millions to spare, you have the freedom to go wherever, buy whatever you desire without even considering the cost. If you think outlaying 1m for an Elite Visa is a waste, that's your problem not the buyer's

[tomauasia]

13 minutes ago, newatthis said:

Not really. If you have the millions to spare, you have the freedom to go wherever, buy whatever you desire without even considering the cost. If you think outlaying 1m for an Elite Visa is a waste, that's your problem not the buyer's

Not a waste a joke 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The card offers a re-entry visa renewable for up to 20 years and other perks for those who can afford it

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Chinese to apply for long-term residency

But not residency?

[PETERTHEEATER]

3 hours ago, car720 said:

So all the doctors, in all the hospitals in the world, that are sticking people in pine boxes every day are a part of the conspiracy as well?

Pine? Pine? Mine will be hand finished Honduran mahogany.????

[PETERTHEEATER]

3 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

^ Isn't that a soaring Andean bird?

........with a thin latex prophylactic over it's  head......

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, Grumpy John said:

On the other hand if they had a scheme, that worked for the average Joe, to become a permanent resident without the need for visits to immigration, I would be interested!

They don't want us to be permanent residents, they want the option open to kick us out at an time.

[HenryC]

2 hours ago, wasabi said:

I'm sure there are people who regret buying a TE visa but I am not among them and I have never met a holder of one online or in person who does. People say things like oh it's just a tourist visa, it's too expensive. But if those things bother anyone than they must've been expecting something that it is is not. For me it meets all my needs perfectly including being cost effective for my personal goals. In a perfect world there would've been more options for me and my wife to stay in Thailand but it is not a perfect world so I am satisfied with the TE visa with no regrets.

I don't regret buying it as its a hassle free option for under 50's but lets not get into that argument.... However, as a TE member, this does seem is simply an ill timed marketing ploy, and a slap in the face for any current members like myself trying to return to Thailand - so far they have been of zero help, zero, and even seem to be behind with information readily available from immigration.

 

Therefore, I've applied/registered direct with the Thai embassy. I have Thai dependent. What remains to be seen is whether the TE visa adds weight to my case for reentry?

 

 

[Matzzon]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

China's initial coronavirus outbreak and the current resurgence in Beijing have driven many Chinese to apply for long-term residency in Thailand as the kingdom enjoys plaudits for its handling of the pandemic.

YIPPIE!

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

Their thinking isn't wrong, having another place to go in case something bad happens seems like a good idea.

 

But maybe they should choose a country that didn't actually ban its long-term residents from entering. Most countries made provisions to still allow citizens, legal residents and their families in - Thailand doesn't look good at all in that regard.

 

You are NOT a long term resident on a non-immigrant visa.

 

How many times does this need explained?

[Expat Tom]

According to several independent international studies, the true number of Wuhan CCP Coronavirus cases in China is well over 3,000,000. It completely amazes me that the Thai government would accept the numbers from the CCP...possibly the most corrupt band of thugs and lairs in the planet....and welcome with open arms, people from the country whence the disease came from in the first place. There must be some totally money hungry people pulling the strings in BKK. Of course, Thailand knows much better than the 100+++ countries in the world who want ot hold the CCP responsible. UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Why don't they just hang a "For Sale" sign on the country.

[DrTuner]

Did somebody mention to tell them it's just a longer tourist visa? No 5y driving license, not allowed to work, still 90 day surveillance and need to extend or out of the country every year.

Edited June 29, 2020 by DrTuner

[natway09]

I see nothing wrong with this as long as they fulfil the medical certificate before boarding, do not

fail the temperature check at check in & 14 day quarantine period on arrival

as everybody should be doing regardless of race, creed, colour or country at the moment.

[BMW Overlander]

4 hours ago, Max69xl said:

"The Thai Elite Visa is just a glorified tourist visa."

There's (almost) only one reason people applies for the Elite Visa. They don't meet the requirements for a long stay visa. They are either to young or don't meet the financial requirements, or both. 

Every time elite visa comes up as topic I can't wait to read all these stupid replies from "rocket scientists", "super rich", "former secret agents" and other envious deadbeats. Keep it up ????

[ronaldo0]

7 hours ago, M71 said:

Still amazed at how many believe this Covid-19 BS

 

It's just a bloody common seasonal flu blown way out proportion to facilitate a world economic reset.

 

Wake up sheeple.

Today they reached the total of over half a million dead ! From a worldwide population of about 8 billion . Pretty sure many other things kill far more per year but they don’t shut the world down over them !

Some people are getting very very rich from all this !

 

[Patts]

7 hours ago, M71 said:

Still amazed at how many believe this Covid-19 BS

 

It's just a bloody common seasonal flu blown way out proportion to facilitate a world economic reset.

 

Wake up sheeple.

I'm amazed at how many people buy into these conspiracy theories. It's not seasonal flu, completely different type of virus. 

 

Seasonal Flu mortality rate 0.1%

Covid 19 mortality rate ranges from anywhere from 0.5% to 14% depending on region affected. 

 

Some healthy people who have recovered from Covid have been left with life changing conditions such as renal failure, diabetes and lung damage!

 

I would say that the media have blown it out of proportion and done a lot of scaremongering but like wise individuals claiming it is seasonal flu are living in cloud-cuckoo-and. The President of Brazil had this same attitude and now look at massive issues they are having there, and many say they are under reporting. 

Edited June 29, 2020 by Patts

[Patts]

10 minutes ago, ronaldo0 said:

Today they reached the total of over half a million dead ! From a worldwide population of about 8 billion . Pretty sure many other things kill far more per year but they don’t shut the world down over them !

Some people are getting very very rich from all this !

 

Really? Please let us know of another virus kills over half a million people in 6 months and who are getting "very very" rich from all this?

Edited June 29, 2020 by Patts

[Ketyo]

Nobody wants to live in a country with an authoritarian regime where the people cant change the government... and end up in jail for criticizing the government. And can't get a good education that includes critical thinking.

 

Why would anybody, Chinese, western or any nationality want to live in China if there are other less authoritarian and more democratic places that are going to offer long term visas.

 

Chinese are here to stay and are not going back. Why would they. Life is better outside China... pretty much everywhere

Edited June 29, 2020 by Ketyo

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 minutes ago, Ketyo said:

Nobody wants to live in a country with an authoritarian regime where the people cant change the government... and end up in jail for criticizing the government. And can't get a good education that includes critical thinking.

That describes Thailand down to a tee.

[shortstop]

7 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Imagine how many members they'd have if they made a realistic card that catered to Non-O (retirement, marriage) holders. One that granted a similar length of Visa (automatically renewed each year so long as the membership was maintained) and Fast Track at the airport.
Screw the golf and massage package c.rap and the "limo" rides to a hotel.

Once a year show up at your local Immigration office, swipe your card and wave good bye for another year. (Add in one free Single Re-Entry permit per year or, for an extra fee, a multi Re-entry permit each year).

One more improvement...............I'd pay extra for card/visa that didn't require me to be in Thailand on my renewal date.

 

EDIT: One simple improvement to the current system would be that the one year extension could be extended at any time but the extension takes place from the date of extension if done more than a month in advance of expiration.

Edited June 29, 2020 by shortstop

[ravip]

3 hours ago, newatthis said:

Not really. If you have the millions to spare, you have the freedom to go wherever, buy whatever you desire without even considering the cost. If you think outlaying 1m for an Elite Visa is a waste, that's your problem not the buyer's

Agree 100% with you. Pay a trillion with your money for a coke, it's fine by me!

I was just commenting after reading post #3

[Mung]

8 hours ago, M71 said:

Still amazed at how many believe this Covid-19 BS

 

It's just a bloody common seasonal flu blown way out proportion to facilitate a world economic reset.

 

Wake up sheeple.

So hospitals in the US becoming maxed out in June is normal with seasonal influenza? 115,000 deaths in the US over a half year period with a lockdown and preventative measures in place is just the flu, right? 
If you had even an entry level understanding of biology you wouldn't be saying such nonsense. 

[Mung]

32 minutes ago, Patts said:

Really? Please let us know of another virus kills over half a million people in 6 months and who are getting "very very" rich from all this?

Also the poster you replied to hasn't even taken into account how the world has done almost everything it can to stop the spread of this virus aside from having a vaccine. If this virus was treated as say influenza without lockdown, masks, social distancing etc, it would be a far higher death count, the models suggest around 2million dead in the US alone across 2020

Edited June 29, 2020 by Mung

[DrTuner]

3 hours ago, newatthis said:

If you have the millions to spare, you have the freedom to go wherever, buy whatever you desire without even considering the cost.

People who have millions to spare usually have concidered costs all their lives. It's not the high income, it's the low expences that create wealth.

 

And one just feels like an idiot overpaying for things, rich or poor.

[ravip]

24 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

That describes Thailand down to a tee.

Really? Amazing Thailand!

[ravip]

8 hours ago, M71 said:

Still amazed at how many believe this Covid-19 BS

 

It's just a bloody common seasonal flu blown way out proportion to facilitate a world economic reset.

 

Wake up sheeple.

WOW! What took you so long to reveal the truth?

You really could've saved the world from all this agony only if you said this earlier.

Better late than never... please I beg of you, go wake up the sheeple.

[tifino]

pity times have a'changed... 

 

remember the god ole bad ole days of Communism

 - when their peasants weren't allowed to leave the motherland, unless for Official purposes.

 - the different *CP countries stopped them leaving, assuming the peasant wouldn't come back home!

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, BMW Overlander said:

5 hours ago, Max69xl said:

"The Thai Elite Visa is just a glorified tourist visa."

There's (almost) only one reason people applies for the Elite Visa. They don't meet the requirements for a long stay visa. They are either to young or don't meet the financial requirements, or both. 

Every time elite visa comes up as topic I can't wait to read all these stupid replies from "rocket scientists", "super rich", "former secret agents" and other envious deadbeats. Keep it up ????

But this ‘deadbeat, super rich, rocket scientist and former secret agent’ [Max69xl] is wholly correct.

 

A Glorified Tourist Visa is precisely what the Thai Elite Visa is. 

 

The very reason people get the Thai Elite Visa is because they are unable to see the requirements for alternative long stay visas - they are not married, too young etc.

 

The reason some of my friends and I have the Thai Elite Visa is for these very reasons: We were too young (early 30’s) and unmarried (at the time) - The Thai Elite Visa offered a simple and trouble free way to stay in Thailand while working rotationally throughout South East Asia & Middle East. 

 

The Thai Elite Visa has been the perfect simple solution for many, other than a few perks (such as expedited escort through Immigration (departure and arrival), AOT Car to and from the Airport, Full Medical Check-up (once per year), Massage and Golf (which I hardly used these days)), the visa is just a long term Tourist Visa, nothing more.