Popular Post webfact Posted February 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted February 1, 2023 PHOTO: Visatogo By Peter Roche Thailand’s tourism and sports minister has responded to allegations that members of the Elite Card program have been linked to dodgy Chinese businesses – the same Chinese and Chinese businesses that are being linked to the ongoing ‘Tuhao’ investigation. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says he’s asked the Royal Thai Police to look into the claims, saying they will potentially “affect Thailand’s tourism sector and overall reputation”. Tourism operators have suggested the Elite Card application process be linked to international police so that criminal checks can be carried out. Phiphat says that as part of the current process, Thailand Privilege Card, which operates the Elite Card program, sends applicants’ personal information to the Immigration Bureau and the Department of Consular Affairs, who carry out criminal checks. According to a Bangkok Post report, the tourism ministry has introduced extra pre-screening measures, such as checking the status of members and appointing new sales agents every 2 years, who are responsible for verifying applicants’ qualifications. “If any of them are reported acting illegally, the minister will urgently withdraw those memberships.” Responding to claims that the Elite Card is being sold for inflated prices overseas, Phiphat says neither the ministry nor TPC can be held responsible for what happens abroad. Meanwhile, the president of the Phuket Tourist Association says TPC should have a digital database linked to international organisations like Interpol. Thaneth Tantipiriyakij says this could be used to carry out criminal checks and might stop suspicious individuals from applying. Thaneth says the Elite Card is a popular option among high-spending visitors from places like Europe, Australia, and China, adding that Phuket regularly welcomes such groups since Covid travel restrictions were lifted. Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/thailand-elite-card-embroiled-in-scandal-over-suspicious-chinese-businesses/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-02-01 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 2baht Posted February 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted February 1, 2023 29 minutes ago, webfact said: Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says he’s asked the Royal Thai Police to look into the claims, saying they will potentially “affect Thailand’s tourism sector and overall reputation”. Here we go again, is nothing beyond corruption anymore? 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukrules Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 (edited) They face the usual problem faced by authorities around the world. People only become branded criminals once they've been convicted. It specifically states in the terms and conditions that anyone applying for the Thailand Elite visa is not eligible if they have been sentenced to 1 year or more in prison, unless it's for negligence in which case I guess they are eligible for the visa - which is a little odd. If the Chinese in question has been sentenced to more than 1 year and they find out about it they will revoke the membership and visa. Some of the biggest gangsters out there have a squeaky clean record. Edited February 1, 2023 by ukrules 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBKK Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 and the knock-on effect is delays with extensions and transfers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00dle Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Of course it was. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 So some criminals got a Thai Elite visa.... Is this any different to criminals getting any other kind of visa ???.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 2 hours ago, webfact said: Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says he’s asked the Royal Thai Police to look into the claims, saying they will potentially “affect Thailand’s tourism sector and overall reputation” That's putting it softly, and on the back burner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humbug Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Now we have the political hit pieces trying to distract from all the recent bad press about police, who are also immigration police, and big coincidence, elections near by, so lets blame Elite who are the Sport/Tourism department no sir, it's not the police or immigration police, it's the other pesky department, they are to blame for all these grey area Chinese, well actually it's the men in green, who signed full belt and road agreements, signed in 20 national strategy to align itself with Chinese laws secretly, and allowed the Chinese to have a greater influence in media reporting But hey lets all go back 15 years and blame a Taksin creation, especially if we ever have another election, the men in green's parties will be spanked by Taksin's family party and Thanathorn's party, well that's if they ever allow a fair election this year or next, or whenever 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ignore it Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 And just like that the prime market for the Elite Visa was gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post John Drake Posted February 1, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted February 1, 2023 1 hour ago, humbug said: and allowed the Chinese to have a greater influence in media reporting Two or three years ago, a lot of Thai media outlets ceded their foreign news reporting to Xinhua. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 so now it's underhanded activites within the Thai elite card, tour guides ripping of tourists at floating markets and the RTP caught again extorting money from tourists both here and in Pattaya this week .... Where will it stop ? or it won't stop as there are to many fingers in the till ... Thailand .... the land of thiefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayClay Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 2 hours ago, BobBKK said: and the knock-on effect is delays with extensions and transfers Because? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peabody Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 3 hours ago, webfact said: Responding to claims that the Elite Card is being sold for inflated prices overseas, Phiphat says neither the ministry nor TPC can be held responsible for what happens abroad. Surely the cars are numbered. Only allow the proper Thai bureau to issue them. Prohibit resales. Number not in system = void. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 (edited) Oops , Could be pants down 2. coming soon Amazing Thailand. Edited February 1, 2023 by Orinoco 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klauskunkel Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 What scandal are we on now? I'm losing track. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klauskunkel Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 7 hours ago, webfact said: Responding to claims that the Elite Card is being sold for inflated prices overseas, Phiphat says neither the ministry nor TPC can be held responsible for what happens abroad. Is he serious? Are the cards controlled by some General? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyx Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Confused !!! It is my understanding that there is a police check on applications...at least when they started the program it was clear there would be one ( maybe run the name through Interpol or other branches) and a positive check would lead to the rejection of the application. If alleged criminals who have the financial means, want to enter the country (actually not restricted to this one ), then there are many investment programs As for the inflated membership cost, those who fall for it definitely do not know how to use a computer as simply typing "Thailand Elite" brings the official website where the prices are well advertised That being said, the exact advertised amount must be transferred to te Company's account. If more money is paid, it is to the agent and. that is, by definition, their job: to be paid for a service, hence not related to Thailand Elite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthe Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 9 hours ago, ukrules said: Some of the biggest gangsters out there have a squeaky clean record. Totally agree. How many years Pablo Escobar had squeaky clean records? Probably decades. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caldera Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 Unlike with most other Thai visas and extensions, there's a screening process in place for Elite visa applicants. How thorough that is is anyone's guess, it might turn out to be just a time-consuming paper pushing exercise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 1 minute ago, Caldera said: Unlike with most other Thai visas and extensions, there's a screening process in place for Elite visa applicants. How thorough that is is anyone's guess, it might turn out to be just a time-consuming paper pushing exercise. I heard they filter out anyone who was ever on overstay.... but considering the application comes with a substantial monetary payment, I suspect it to be less thorough than say a marriage extension! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBKK Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/1/2023 at 4:01 PM, JayClay said: Because? Because they are checking everything because of this scam. Normally it takes me 10 to 15 minutes this week over an hour and I was lucky. The visa company told me expect 3 hours or more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayClay Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 13 minutes ago, BobBKK said: Because they are checking everything because of this scam. Normally it takes me 10 to 15 minutes this week over an hour and I was lucky. The visa company told me expect 3 hours or more. Sorry, my bad. I thought you meant that normal extensions (retirement, marriage etc) were going to take longer to process. I guess it could very feasibly have an impact on Elite extensions which, considering the amount one pays, is very unfortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humbug Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/1/2023 at 3:34 PM, John Drake said: Two or three years ago, a lot of Thai media outlets ceded their foreign news reporting to Xinhua. Yes, this is going to cause so much biased reporting that one cosequence is more animosity towards non-chinese foreigners, already the walk past someone, who instantly puts their mask on, stinks of thinking they are a higher status and especially towards Westerners, you dirty foreigner, you beneath me, how dare you walk near me, Without a functioning rule of law, or even green shoots of a functioning rule of law, it's becoming a place to have hugely thick skin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humbug Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 2/2/2023 at 9:08 AM, Caldera said: Unlike with most other Thai visas and extensions, there's a screening process in place for Elite visa applicants. How thorough that is is anyone's guess, it might turn out to be just a time-consuming paper pushing exercise. The process is immigration getting your passport details from Elite, checking, with whoever or whatever history and which ever databases they should be checking, and then green lighting the okay, for Elite to then issue an appoinment for that person to then go to immigration and have the visa affixed None of this has anything to do with Elite, the actual checking the persons details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humbug Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 (edited) On 2/1/2023 at 8:21 PM, klauskunkel said: Is he serious? Are the cards controlled by some General? On 2/1/2023 at 4:08 PM, Peabody said: Surely the cars are numbered. Only allow the proper Thai bureau to issue them. Prohibit resales. Number not in system = void. Don't forget some of the reporting is terrible or just nasty, and is not honest Any member, whether the card new or person buys a resale, has to be okayed by thai immigration, they receive each persons passport details to check, then get back to Elite to say person is okay, then Elite organize an appoinment for new member to go to thai immigration, and immigration affixes the visa in the passport Everything else is just hyped up lies to scare the local thais reading this and thinking something completely different happens, it doesn't, all of us have or will go through the same process, whatever the country, the only difference will be if thai immigration actually check with countries to see their past non-criminal or whatever, maybe some countries are way to corrupt like China to be honest, and that's a very big maybe, because it seems thai immigration don't even do that much checking Edited February 4, 2023 by humbug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukrules Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 (edited) 4 hours ago, humbug said: the only difference will be if thai immigration actually check with countries to see their past non-criminal or whatever, maybe some countries are way to corrupt like China to be honest, and that's a very big maybe, because it seems thai immigration don't even do that much checking They can check for convictions in Thailand from Thai courts but there's no way they can do that with ANY other country unless they have a data sharing agreement in place - there are no such agreements. If they wanted to see any criminal history then they would do the same as with the visas which require a 'police check' - they don't do this, not at the moment anyway. A country almost never hands over such private information to a foreign government, not in the open anyway - a notable exception to this rule is the US and Canada where they routinely deny entry to each others countries based on misdemeanour convictions even if they're decades old. Edited February 4, 2023 by ukrules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mania Posted February 4, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted February 4, 2023 On 1/31/2023 at 7:55 PM, 2baht said: Here we go again, is nothing beyond corruption anymore? Anymore? Same as it ever was actually Since we have been in Thailand we have seen corruption pretty much everywhere Including & not limited to... Doctors Lawyers Police (obviously) Monks Teachers Business large & small Government workers from Immigration thru Land Tax/ Property Sale office The list is long & instead probably better to list the non-corrupted if & when I ever find one ???? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Meeseeks Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 21 hours ago, humbug said: the only difference will be if thai immigration actually check with countries to see their past non-criminal or whatever, maybe some countries are way to corrupt like China to be honest, and that's a very big maybe, because it seems thai immigration don't even do that much checking They don't and can't check with your home country. If that were a requirement or they did actually want to check, you would need to request and produce a criminal record check from your home country yourself, as you have to do in all Thai Permanent Residency (PR) applications. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Meeseeks Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 3 hours ago, mania said: Anymore? Same as it ever was actually Correct, the entire country is corrupt to the core. Which unfortunately affects some people that would otherwise be moral or good in their actions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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