Thailand's VIP Club

[llso]

Was talking with a friend the other day and was reminiscing of my 7 + year Sojourn in the the LOS. I brought up yhe Thailand VIP club or somthing like that intoduced by the former PM Khun Taksin. THe scheme as it was provided for a cool Million Baht, untold benefits and priveleges for the casual Farang. Which included Visas. fast track immigration, Limousine service , Golf courses. The ultimate Farng travel package. I rember nearly falling out my chair laughing in front of my computer in my humble abode in Thailand. I was even more surprised by how many took the bait and actually coughed up the Million Baht to Join. All I remeber is that predictably it was a grand failure and many a Farng was left a Milion Baht short, So my question is waht ultimatley became of this grand scheme ??

Just a little History lesson for all the newbies out there,

LL

[whybother]

Apparently it was relaunched this year.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/643383-thailand-elite-card-to-be-relaunched-in-june/

Search on "Thailand Elite Card" - https://www.google.co.th/search?q=thailand+vip+card&rlz=1C1CHWA_enTH543TH543&oq=thailand+vip+card&aqs=chrome..69i57.2605j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=93&espv=210&newwindow=1&q=thailand+elite+card

[llso]

OOps, I tried to delete my duplicate post. My Internet connection booged down. But The OLd Git locked me out before I could delete it.

Hope I haven't opened a can of worms here. I really had no Idea that this idea had been resurected. I guess they figire it wa so long ago that most Falangs would have either forgot about it or never heard of it. Seems to me thay are looking for ways to boost revenue.. For instance the 500 Baht fee for medical costs that will collect about ten times or more the actual cost. Oh well as they used to say "TIT"

LL

[whybother]

OOps, I tried to delete my duplicate post. My Internet connection booged down. But The OLd Git locked me out before I could delete it.

Hope I haven't opened a can of worms here. I really had no Idea that this idea had been resurected. I guess they figire it wa so long ago that most Falangs would have either forgot about it or never heard of it. Seems to me thay are looking for ways to boost revenue.. For instance the 500 Baht fee for medical costs that will collect about ten times or more the actual cost. Oh well as they used to say "TIT"

LL

They still say "TIT".

[indyuk]

This New VIP Scheme is not the same sort of scheme as the original Thaksin VIP scheme which gave you resident status for 5 years and renewal options at 5 year intervals at a cost of another Bt5 million, This was the only scheme ever offered that specifically permitted the foreigner to buy a house in his own name with up to one Rai of Land, but it didn't make you a full juristic person. Further the agreement had dangerous covenants in it.

The Thaksin VIP Scheme failed due to very few takers. (Thaksin expected an uptake of 1,000 farang a year). The scheme was repeatedly scaled down and the price reduced by steps to stimulate sales which in fact never happened. After which the scheme laid dormant yet continued servicing the few foreigners that did join it, until after PM Yingluck was elected. After Yingluck's political honeymoon she fired the 230 people that staffed the Thaksin scheme and transferred the VIP offices to others.

Meanwhile the original pathway to becoming a Thai citizen is improved and affordable. Any foreigner accepted can ultimately become a full juristic citizen in Thailand in common equality with all other Thai citizens. This scheme is a pay as you go starting with a small payment (non refundable) and rising to a total of around Bt2 million when you will have received your Thai Bart-pra-cha-chong (Thai ID Card) As you can see this scheme respects international law in respect to enabling any qualifying immigrant a genuine pathway to citizenship. If you are able to qualify I recommend that you chose this option.

More recently this New VIP Plan was created. Do not confuse it with Thaksin's original VIP Plan which had significant advantages over this new plan.

Please bear in mind that both of these plans have been designed (and redesigned by Thaksin himself and both of the VIP plans are part of a scheme to get thousands of farang out of houses they have bought in Thailand with a nominee partner or partner's. He has, it appears instructed PM Yingluck to pursue farang in this thorny old matter of his, with vigor. However please don't panic the Land Offices are less than in than enthusiastic in this matter and quietly advise wait and see.

Hopefully most of you know that former PM Thaksin is less than happy with us and has always sought way in which to lighten our pockets. PM Yingluck with follow her brothers aspirations carefully as can be seen in her proposed VIP scheme lacks value too.