Elite visa

[leicesterguyuk]

So many keyboard doctors and scientists active today. 

 

Let's leave it to the experts, everyone has such diverse views on this virus - we're learning fast but it's still very early days, we do't know much at all. 

 

Any Elite visa news? 

[michel7752]

The Thailand Elite Members Quarantine program "allows foreigners stranded abroad to travel to Thailand for LONG STAY PURPOSES ONLY."

How do they define LONG STAY? 1, 3, 6 or 12 months?

[ukrules]

34 minutes ago, leicesterguyuk said:

Let's leave it to the experts, everyone has such diverse views on this virus - we're learning fast but it's still very early days, we do't know much at all.

I put the important bits in bold, this is written by your experts.

 

Quote

Little is known about the infectiveness of asymptomatic patients. Our findings, given a recent report of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from an asymptomatic person to 4 family members,

⁸ nevertheless offer biological plausibility to such reports of transmission by asymptomatic people. A previous study⁹ analyzing a small number of patients also reported that viral load of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 patients was as high as that of symptomatic patients. Although the high viral load we observed in asymptomatic patients raises a distinct possibility of a risk for transmission, our study was not designed to determine this. In this study, Ct values of env genes from LRT specimens in asymptomatic patients tended to decrease more gradually than those of symptomatic patients. It appears that the env target signal was aberrant owing to fragmented or degraded genomes. The genetic material of dead viral particles remaining within epithelial cells can be detected as epithelial cells are desquamated.¹⁰ In a recent study, viral shedding from sputum has been shown to extend beyond symptom duration.¹¹It is important to note that detection of viral RNA does not equate infectious virus being present and transmissible. For a better understanding of the viral shedding and potential transmissibility of asymptomatic infection, large rigorous epidemiologic and experimental studies are needed.

 

Source : https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2769235

 

I think there is a big problem separating out the pre-symptomatic patients from the truly asymptomatic as these two groups both appear to be the same when they first test positive in a contact tracing environment and this has been an issue since day 1.

 

Until diagnostics can test for the presence of 'viable' virus in a sample this will continue to be a problem and I suspect that such a test for viable virus might never come about, not as something cheap, quick and simple to use anyway.

Edited August 28, 2020 by ukrules

[BritTim]

7 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Until diagnostics can test for the presence of 'viable' virus in a sample this will continue to be a problem and I suspect that such a test for viable virus might never come about, not as something cheap, quick and simple to use anyway.

It is possible today, but very expensive and likely to remain so.

[Farma]

Can you guys give covid discussions a rest. There's a covid19 forum. This thread is about Elite Visa.

 

Applied for a 20 year Elite 2 weeks ago and hoping to hear approval in a couple more weeks.

[CANSIAM]

On 8/23/2020 at 8:07 AM, howerde said:

I though about getting an Elite as i have been waiting since April to get back to Thailand i have a valid visa for Thailand, so hopefully oct/nov, not sure you can apply if you hold a valid visa though

I received email from elite a few days back stating : you can apply for elite with a valid Non O retirement outside Thailand, at the moment members with elite in passport have been granted entry. New members accepted - elite visa will be sent to your Thai Embassy abroad, new members will be granted entry shortly. The embassy here said they don't have information on elite yet. A lot of coin to invest and nothing but uncertainty.  

[FlyingThai]

23 hours ago, michel7752 said:

The Thailand Elite Members Quarantine program "allows foreigners stranded abroad to travel to Thailand for LONG STAY PURPOSES ONLY."

How do they define LONG STAY? 1, 3, 6 or 12 months?

It really doesn't matter how they define it because how do they want to prove that in advance?

 

They can't keep you from leaving the country again whenever you please to do so.

[FlyingThai]

12 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

I received email from elite a few days back stating : you can apply for elite with a valid Non O retirement outside Thailand, at the moment members with elite in passport have been granted entry. New members accepted - elite visa will be sent to your Thai Embassy abroad, new members will be granted entry shortly. The embassy here said they don't have information on elite yet. A lot of coin to invest and nothing but uncertainty.  

You can apply, get the confirmation letter and then still have three months to pay. Once things firm up in the way you can make it work for yourself proceed with the payment. Otherwise the application will just expire.

[leicesterguyuk]

12 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

I received email from elite a few days back stating : you can apply for elite with a valid Non O retirement outside Thailand, at the moment members with elite in passport have been granted entry. New members accepted - elite visa will be sent to your Thai Embassy abroad, new members will be granted entry shortly. The embassy here said they don't have information on elite yet. A lot of coin to invest and nothing but uncertainty.  

Was this an email from Thai Elite direct or an agency? 

 

Others have posted elsewhere that Elite have told them that there's still no process in place for new members without the sticker in their passport. So much conflicting information, and as you say, a lot of money to pay out without some clarity. 

[olfu]

Sounds like word Elite is misleading some people into thinking that by buying product with name Elite

they will be having special privileges.

[HerewardtheWake]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_1K9GSokHz437iONhTo19uJOz67UPPsXAuN_peJwxL8/edit?fbclid=IwAR3c9EVKdCf7NKN7Ag8mzkEXylHDJGcvqG7OV-lZGgAIE1xc9gZA5tuHG8w#gid=0

This couple has created a spread sheet for the Alternate State Quarantine facilities for costs below 60,000 Baht for the 14-day period.. Very nice of them

 

[leicesterguyuk]

13 hours ago, HerewardtheWake said:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_1K9GSokHz437iONhTo19uJOz67UPPsXAuN_peJwxL8/edit?fbclid=IwAR3c9EVKdCf7NKN7Ag8mzkEXylHDJGcvqG7OV-lZGgAIE1xc9gZA5tuHG8w#gid=0

This couple has created a spread sheet for the Alternate State Quarantine facilities for costs below 60,000 Baht for the 14-day period.. Very nice of them

 

An 'Overall value score' that's formulated without even setting foot in the hotel and actually experiencing it. 

 

Yes I see it's based on things like price and room size, but how about the quality of those 30sqm, the friendliness and helpfulness of staff, the food, available facility etc etc. 

 

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, leicesterguyuk said:

An 'Overall value score' that's formulated without even setting foot in the hotel and actually experiencing it. 

 

Yes I see it's based on things like price and room size, but how about the quality of those 30sqm, the friendliness and helpfulness of staff, the food, available facility etc etc. 

 

Although imperfect, the Booking.com review score indirectly measures qualitative issues. I cannot see anyone having the opportunity to go through quarantine at 30 odd hotels, so it is hard to see how anyone can produce a detailed comparison based on personal experience.

[leicesterguyuk]

17 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Although imperfect, the Booking.com review score indirectly measures qualitative issues. I cannot see anyone having the opportunity to go through quarantine at 30 odd hotels, so it is hard to see how anyone can produce a detailed comparison based on personal experience.

Going through it once will be testing enough! 

 

I didn't mean there will be any qualitative comparison of the quarantine 'facilities' and 'experience' available, just pointing out that the one given above is pretty useless. 

 

Reviews on hotel websites or Tripadvisor would probably be a lot more useful. 

[FlyingThai]

30 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Although imperfect, the Booking.com review score indirectly measures qualitative issues. I cannot see anyone having the opportunity to go through quarantine at 30 odd hotels, so it is hard to see how anyone can produce a detailed comparison based on personal experience.

Considering that as an ASQ guest you won't be able to access any service or facility that's a pretty unreliable way to judge the quality of the accommodation.

 

Maybe having a look on Youtube would be a more realistic impression to see how the rooms look. Most hotels have videos there that were uploaded by previous guests.

[FlyingThai]

On 8/29/2020 at 5:55 PM, olfu said:

Sounds like word Elite is misleading some people into thinking that by buying product with name Elite

they will be having special privileges.

Not really. Thailand Elite is very straight forward that buying a TE Visa isn't buying you any privileges right now.

 

Most of the people complaining currently have applied and paid for it in May/June without considering the consequences of their actions in expectation something would be coming their way.

[ukrules]

9 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

Most of the people complaining currently have applied and paid for it in May/June without considering the consequences of their actions in expectation something would be coming their way.

Well everyone got a 6 month extension on their membership duration and I'm sure they will all be able to return inside the period of membership extension.

[FlyingThai]

1 minute ago, ukrules said:

Well everyone got a 6 month extension on their membership duration and I'm sure they will all be able to return inside the period of membership extension.

Even existing members? I was under the impression that this was an offer for those who newly sign up and pay until SEP 30th.

 

In any case I can't agree with him and some others that TE is trying to pull a fast one here or engages in false advertisement.

[BritTim]

4 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

Even existing members?

Yes, especially existing members.

[ukrules]

7 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Yes, especially existing members.

I believe you need to register for it by following the instructions in the email, I did.

[CANSIAM]

On 8/29/2020 at 3:34 AM, leicesterguyuk said:

Was this an email from Thai Elite direct or an agency? 

 

Others have posted elsewhere that Elite have told them that there's still no process in place for new members without the sticker in their passport. So much conflicting information, and as you say, a lot of money to pay out without some clarity. 

It was from an agency,  like you said there's no clarity, if anything make an application and just wait.... 

[leicesterguyuk]

8 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

It was from an agency,  like you said there's no clarity, if anything make an application and just wait.... 

Sounds like an agency saying whatever they feel is necessary to make a sale and get their commission. 

 

I applied just over 2 weeks ago so I'm still waiting. But I really need some clarification on the entry steps before stumping up any money! 

[CANSIAM]

3 hours ago, leicesterguyuk said:

Sounds like an agency saying whatever they feel is necessary to make a sale and get their commission. 

 

I applied just over 2 weeks ago so I'm still waiting. But I really need some clarification on the entry steps before stumping up any money! 

Yes agreed, I would keep your credit card in your wallet and wait, I'm not even sure about applying yet.  Surely Non O retire holders can get back prior Jan. 31, 2021 my expiry. Fingers crossed.