Thailand Privilege Card (TPC) has expanded its screening of applicants and members by adding Interpol, the Central Investigation Bureau and the Anti-Money Laundering Office to its checks.

The company said on Wednesday, 16 September, that the tougher process is intended to deter foreign scammers and support safety and confidence among Thai citizens and foreign tourists.

For foreigners considering the Thailand Privilege programme, formerly known as the Elite Card, the change means more regular vetting throughout membership rather than checks only at the application stage.

Five agencies now involved

TPC president Manatase Annawat said the system now uses a "4+1" mechanism involving five agencies: the Department of Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Immigration Bureau, Interpol, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO).

Interpol was added in late 2025 to help obtain information on offenders more quickly and comprehensively. AMLO will carry out detailed financial checks, particularly where a member has changed nationality.

Two or three years ago, TPC's checks involved only the Immigration Bureau and Department of Consular Affairs. The company said the wider system would close security loopholes and strengthen prevention of transnational crime.

Checks every 90 days

TPC said all applicants are screened from the first day they apply, with 100% of applicants undergoing background checks. It said all members had received a clean result at the time of application.

Screening is then repeated every 90 days, at annual visa renewals and during each five-year visa endorsement cycle. The Immigration Bureau checks members around four times a year.

If an irregularity is found, or police request information, TPC will immediately move a membership to "Pending" status from the day a background check begins. Previously, it waited for a final ruling in a case.

That could be particularly relevant for existing foreign members: a pending designation can now be imposed while enquiries are under way, rather than after a legal outcome. TPC said cases involving offences by Privilege Card holders remain very rare, accounting for less than 0.1% of its overall membership base.

China remains the biggest market

TPC has about 40,000 customers and aims to reach around 43,000 by the end of 2026. China is its largest market, with about 20,000 members across mainland China and Hong Kong.

TPC said the group's main demand was for special visa privileges through the Privilege Entry (PE) Visa, viewed by members as a second or third passport for peace of mind and security.

Japan is the second-largest market, followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and Russia. TPC said it would work with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and major Chinese sales agents to expand marketing in China.

Manatase said political unrest and geopolitical tensions had increased interest from Russia and Myanmar over the past two years, as Thailand was seen as a friendly and safe destination. Interest from Israel has also been strong, although TPC has postponed marketing there because of the volatile war situation.

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20 September 2026

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Bit of a joke, how many people are they going to catch out here ?

I've been on this visa for well over a decade and had multiple memberships - nothing really changed during that time except I went non resident and reset my cost basis for everything by selling it all and then reinvesting over the following year or two.

When it comes time to sell again I will leave the country for a year again - no problem - I'll do it for a million or two USD in profits to turn it into savings / reset the entire cost basis and then reinvest at my leisure. No wash trade rules in Thailand - could sell it all at 10am and repurchase at 10:30 am with small transaction fees - all offshore and completely tax free.