30 minutes ago, pantsonfire said:

So thai people think Foreigners are dumb by enticing them by for example a farmer give them a cow, they return you milk

You have become mired in Thai logic it seems.  It is not a benefit to get a free visa if tge money you dump into the scheme has a negative return.  Sort of like buying a bar here, you invest 3 million baht to become rich only instead you end up loosing 2 million baht, but hey your still a millionaire 

Wrong place to use a so called smart visa try your raving loony crackpot card that will do nicely ????

Give me a PR and I would invest 3 million ASAP. But I do not approve of having it locked in for more than 3 years tops.

10 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

What has that go to do with Thailand?

He was making a point of what the money could buy elsewhere.  Better invested there than here unfortunately. A Thai can buy land and property in the US, but you can not buy land here as a foreigner, a condonis the best you can do and only if it is part of the foreign quota allowed.

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

do you have any idea how nice and huge a house you can buy in rural USA for a million dollars cash?

 

even in this inflated market you can buy a ranch on 5, 10, 15 or more acres, or a compound outside of a ski resort. 

But the BUSINESS people for whom the $ 1M condo + WP is aimed might not want to live in rural America; it seems hard for many to comprehend but $ 1M is not allot of money for many successful businesspeople.

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Son just bought a 3500sqft house on 5 acres in Montana for 560k

The winters should be wonderful...there's a reason less than 1M people live in the state.

Hopefully foreigners are SMART enough not to fall into this trap.

2 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

The winters should be wonderful...there's a reason less than 1M people live in the state.

Of course, and then it is why people holiday in places such as Thailand.  See the connection.

I bought a condo some years ago. They would not let me in for months because of a virus.

 

47 minutes ago, Wonderboy said:

How can you buy a condo if you are not in the country? If you are, then you already have a visa...

Many wealthy people buy properties sight unseen...or when it was time for the first annual visa renewal, they could require proof of the condo purchase. Or alternatively could require the visa holder to provide proof of purchase within some period of time after entering the country (say 3 months).

1 hour ago, webfact said:

In addition there is now a scheme that if people invest enough in the real estate sector they will be given a "free" Elite Card.

 

The card would only be given to those that put enough into the market, however, and must be commensurate with current charges for the card that is on sale for up to 2 million baht.

 

Does that mean they're now talking about giving a free Elite visa card/status to anyone who spends 2 million on a new purchase condo in Thailand?

 

If that's correct, that ought to generate some interest.

 

"Foreigners offered new ‘smart visa’ if they buy a condo...."

 

now that would be a dumb thing to do

10 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Of course, and then it is why people holiday in places such as Thailand.  See the connection.

No...I don't see any connection between your son buying property in Montana and a thread about visas to Thailand.

2 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

No...I don't see any connection between your son buying property in Montana and a thread about visas to Thailand.

Then you do not see the Snowbird issue with their visas they can not use and return. It is called a conundrum. There is your connection.

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Does that mean they're now talking about giving a free Elite visa card/status to anyone who spends 2 million on a new purchase condo in Thailand?

 

If that's correct, that ought to generate some interest.

 

It's pretty confusing language...but I'm sure it doesn't mean if you buy a condo for the current price of the Elite Cards you get the card with it...more like if the price at least 4M (condo plus the 2M card) they'll throw in a card or something like that. Don't forget these schemes usually are only for new construction and not resale units.

I doubt even the Chinese will take this offer...

Thailand begins to remind me of that aging, wrinkly spinster who goes to the village fair every single weekend and wonders why nobody is inviting her to dance anymore.

 

It doesn't matter what she wears and how well her hair is done -- she simply has become too unattractive for any potential dance partner to even bother.

 

Eventually it will dawn on the real-life spinster and she's going to stay home, of course. Meanwhile "spinster Thailand" fails to grasp the brutal reality, returning to the dance again and again and again in vain, with her increasingly ridiculous outfits (i.e. those ludicrous visa schemes) only putting off ever more people.

 

One day she's going to quietly die right there sitting in the corner, shriveling up and slowly being covered in cobwebs -- and nobody will even notice that she's passed on.

 

 

Tomorrow the news will be : free visa with your visa ! 

 

Now if you buy an elite visa you get a year o-a for free ! So you can actually enter the country*

* O-a requires Thai only insurance

2 minutes ago, WhatsNext said:

Tomorrow the news will be : free visa with your visa ! 

 

Now if you buy an elite visa you get a year o-a for free ! So you can actually enter the country*

* O-a requires Thai only insurance

How about just a free prepaid Visa Card for use in the Thai shops to buy Thai goods.

So with a spare $1mil, I can get a work permit.

Trust me with sort of loose change why would I be wanting a work permit ????

I want to enjoy my retirement, not bloody work  

Even if they make it as easy as 10 years ago to get a tourist visa it will still take years to recover from this pandemic. These new visa schemes are a drop in the bucket at best.  

This proposal would be ideal for condo owners like myself having purchased a condo 16 years ago for 18MB. Dont knock it just because you cant afford it.

I think I know the answer to this........! But I will ask anyway!

 

I appreciate the average Thai, has no idea of how life works in anyplace except for inside thailand.

 

Im "assuming"! Those in power, surely they must see the reaction worldwide that  their ever increasing dafter and more ludicrous ideas/plans etc are seen by others worldwide?

 

I appreciate, they think Thailand is the centre of the universe...but? Surely!  SOMEBODY! EVEN ONE PERSON IN POWER IN must know they are just making themselves look ridiculous?!

12 minutes ago, Timwin said:

Even if they make it as easy as 10 years ago to get a tourist visa it will still take years to recover from this pandemic. These new visa schemes are a drop in the bucket at best.  

Every drop helps...and eventually the bucket is full.

We don't seem far away from citizenships being sold here like in many countries now to the uber rich.

Sorry guys but thailand isn’t that great that one has to buy a condo to gain access privilege to the country...

 

talk about over-inflating one’s self image...

13 minutes ago, welshguy said:

I think I know the answer to this........! But I will ask anyway!

 

I appreciate the average Thai, has no idea of how life works in anyplace except for inside thailand.

 

Im "assuming"! Those in power, surely they must see the reaction worldwide that  their ever increasing dafter and more ludicrous ideas/plans etc are seen by others worldwide?

 

I appreciate, they think Thailand is the centre of the universe...but? Surely!  SOMEBODY! EVEN ONE PERSON IN POWER IN must know they are just making themselves look ridiculous?!

Probably follow Japanese adage: "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down"

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

‘The Hub of Crackpot ideas’ !!!!! 

 

There must be some who attend these discussions held behind closed doors who want to smash their heads against the wall. 

Even if there are any in these meetings with the ability to think one second beyond the floating of the idea, they don't dare speak up or they are out on their ear.

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

So you must wait eight years so immigration can make sure you don't sell. Then, after eight years, you get the Smart/Dumb Visa

Don't think you quite grasp it. You will get the visa right away, and renewed every year for eight years as long as you don't sell. I'm assuming after 8 years you can sell, and still get renewed.

 

I was on the 3 million bht investment visa many years, and it was the simplest visa possible based in required paperwork.

15 minutes ago, welshguy said:

I think I know the answer to this........! But I will ask anyway!

 

I appreciate the average Thai, has no idea of how life works in anyplace except for inside thailand.

 

Im "assuming"! Those in power, surely they must see the reaction worldwide that  their ever increasing dafter and more ludicrous ideas/plans etc are seen by others worldwide?

 

I appreciate, they think Thailand is the centre of the universe...but? Surely!  SOMEBODY! EVEN ONE PERSON IN POWER IN must know they are just making themselves look ridiculous?!

Keep in mind these are only proposals...and every country is struggling to find d ways to safely re-open their borders.