Thailand Elite Card Looks To Moscow And London

[chownah]

I don't think that anyone in the gov't actually ever thought that they'd sell many of these cards....but it is a type of promotion and it is a way to draw some attention to Thailand...the attention of rich people who might not buy the card but might come here anyway but never thought about it before until seeing the promotion for the card....and then there will always be the stupid rich who would buyone.

[Maejo Man]

Wonderful extra small print at the bottom of their membership page

* Member benefits are subject to regular review and change without notice

[sriracha john]

The benefits from having a TE card still seem very questionable

and I still can't see the value for money. I agree allowing land ownership

for farang`s could make a difference -but Thai`s are never going to

change their position on this- it is far too sensitive an issue.

But the real concern I have is what happens to card holders

after all the marketing hype simmers down and say for example there is

a reduction in the quality of some of these services ?

e.g. the car fails to turn up at the airport ........

You cant threaten to not renew your membership ?

Any situation where you pay a lump sum amount upfront

for what  are meant to be ongoing services always seems risky

to me in any situation but in a country like Thailand where

consumer protection laws are relatively weak -who will TE

members be able to complain to if there is lack of performance

down the track and if standards drop ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The government here is very stable and unlikely to have any changes for generations, but if the unusual circumstances that you describe should occur, I'm sure a simple letter would rectify any complaints one might have regarding any future changes to the card's benefits:

Prime Minister

Government House

Nakhon Pathom Rd., Bangkok

10300

[carlthailand]

Maybe the card is just a way to make bribes etc look legal.

That surely would be a selling point.

You might even get discount.

Oh, so your a Elite Card holders. We have a special discount for you.

C

[Firefan]

I believe the first batch of cards were "only" 1M Baht (for individuals) with no monthly fees?

Seems now one has to pay a monthly fee also? DId that change for all card holders or only the newly issued ones? If it changed for the new ones only, it might make sense to buy one from the old batch? (as selling/transferring the card is allowed at a fee).

Cheers!

[midas]

" it might make sense to buy one from the old batch? "

- I wouldnt touch one with a barge pole !

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The man with the golden touch ain't interested in the card. That should tell us something.

[johnnyk]

The swell Elite card fits nicely in the wallet next to the swell Junior G-Man ID card.

Show the Elite Card and 65baht and you will get a "free" bottle of Chang at happy hour in participating establishments.

&lt;deleted&gt; dodos who dreamed this one up have managed to sell about 90 of them. P.T. Barnum was right.