Thailand Elite easy access 500k THB card

[LivinLOS]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I mentioned this option in the other thread a few days ago, but nobody seemed to take notice.

I investigated this for a female friend if mine. I believe the 90 day reporting still needs to take place but this is carried out by the Thai elite people for you and that it is quick and easy BUT still costs 1900 baht every 90 days.

However, it also eliminates the need to leave Thailand every year (or every 15 months) to another country to obtain another Non Immigrant O visa, therefore potentially saving airfare and other associated costs, visas, hotels, car hire or whatever.

If you looked at the interest lost, then deducted what would be saved by not having to travel abroad for visas the. the 5 year 500,000 baht thing starts to look very attractive and much cheaper than 8k baht per month (probably half of that).

THE BIG CATCH, is will the system still be operating next week, next year, or in 5 years time? When the Thai elite visa service shut down before, it's members weren't automatically reimburse for the part used portion of their membership, to gain that they would need to take legal action against, Thai elite and can you imagine how smoothly that would have progressed.

Why would 90 day reporting cost 1900 baht?

Presume its because theres an extension being discussed not a 90 day report.

It does seem a bit confusing that different implementations of the same sort of service over the different card levels.

Either way, the 5 year options is fairly attractive for those hoping in and out routinely. People I know pay for the fast track airport service, so having the limo 24 times a year, fast track, and visa is all beneficial.

[socrates28]

So it seems on the face of it - this stacks up

[neverdie]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I mentioned this option in the other thread a few days ago, but nobody seemed to take notice.

I investigated this for a female friend if mine. I believe the 90 day reporting still needs to take place but this is carried out by the Thai elite people for you and that it is quick and easy BUT still costs 1900 baht every 90 days.

However, it also eliminates the need to leave Thailand every year (or every 15 months) to another country to obtain another Non Immigrant O visa, therefore potentially saving airfare and other associated costs, visas, hotels, car hire or whatever.

If you looked at the interest lost, then deducted what would be saved by not having to travel abroad for visas the. the 5 year 500,000 baht thing starts to look very attractive and much cheaper than 8k baht per month (probably half of that).

THE BIG CATCH, is will the system still be operating next week, next year, or in 5 years time? When the Thai elite visa service shut down before, it's members weren't automatically reimburse for the part used portion of their membership, to gain that they would need to take legal action against, Thai elite and can you imagine how smoothly that would have progressed.

Why would 90 day reporting cost 1900 baht?

Presume its because theres an extension being discussed not a 90 day report.

It does seem a bit confusing that different implementations of the same sort of service over the different card levels.

Either way, the 5 year options is fairly attractive for those hoping in and out routinely. People I know pay for the fast track airport service, so having the limo 24 times a year, fast track, and visa is all beneficial.

But since that time Stanley has confirmed it's actually 5 year visa, 90 day reports (free, as reporting always is) and yearly extensions @ 1900 baht (also normal fee for extensions) Therefore the total cost of the 5 year one is 507,600 baht. (unless of course the annual extension fee increases).

That's it.

For LivinLOS friends, this is almost gold, coming and going as much as they like, fast track, limo service.

For my impaired friend, less frequent trips and no 90 day border runs, no leaving the country and flying overseas to get a further 90 day etc & with just 90 trips to her local immigration will make life allot easier for her. For her the savings are probably greater despite the fact shed rarely use any of the other services.

Anyhow, I am sure others will benefit from this to.

[Stanley78]

Stanley,

From what you've already written, I assume you are outside Thailand ATM

Once you join Thai elite, on what visa are you arriving into Thailand on? How does the 5 year visa get entered into your passport I guess is the question I'm asking.

I wonder for a person that's already in the country, if they merely meet the Thai elite staff and goto Immi in Chaengwattana.....or at the airport....or something like that.

I will speak to my friend next week and help her contact TE directly after that.

Maybe you already know the answer to this, if not, DO NOT make any more enquiries on my behalf, at least as you've already been very helpful.......as has wordchild & co.

I have already joined Thailand Elite and I am arriving on no visa at all. A Thailand Elite staff member is meeting me at my airplane gate in Bangkok to give me my TE card and take me to immigration at the airport where they will put the 5 year visa in my passport.

I have e-mailed TE to ask what the process is for a person who is already in Thailand and will post when I know.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Stanley78

[Stanley78]

I just spoke with the elite member call centre and they confirmed that there is a difference between the new visa and the original in that with the new visa you get a one year entry stamp for each arrival into the kingdom rather than the extendable 90 days that you got with the old one. Also, maybe of interest to some, original members can transfer (free of charge ) to the new 20 year indevidual card, though you would then have to pay the 20000 bt annual fee. You get slightly enhanced golf and limo facilities and the one year entry stamp but it is 20 years and not lifetime.

Good job wordchild. Now we are finally getting an almost complete understanding of the cards, old and new.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Stanley78

[neverdie]

Stanley,

From what you've already written, I assume you are outside Thailand ATM

Once you join Thai elite, on what visa are you arriving into Thailand on? How does the 5 year visa get entered into your passport I guess is the question I'm asking.

I wonder for a person that's already in the country, if they merely meet the Thai elite staff and goto Immi in Chaengwattana.....or at the airport....or something like that.

I will speak to my friend next week and help her contact TE directly after that.

Maybe you already know the answer to this, if not, DO NOT make any more enquiries on my behalf, at least as you've already been very helpful.......as has wordchild & co.

I have already joined Thailand Elite and I am arriving on no visa at all. A Thailand Elite staff member is meeting me at my airplane gate in Bangkok to take me to immigration at the airport where they will put the 5 year visa in my passport.

I have e-mailed TE to ask what the process is for a person who is already in Thailand and will post when I know.

Ahh, you are too kind. I imagine for a person in Thailand just meets the TE staff at Chaengwattana and their visa is changed there.

I will contact TE in due course and arrange for my friend be spoken to by their staff when it's needed.

Nothing is free in this world Stanley and I hope you have complete success with this visa option, as I'm sure you will. There's not a lot of other options there for the under 50ies and I personally wouldn't drop 10 mil on a condo if I were in that position.

cheers

[Stanley78]

Ahh, you are too kind. I imagine for a person in Thailand just meets the TE staff at Chaengwattana and their visa is changed there.

I will contact TE in due course and arrange for my friend be spoken to by their staff when it's needed.

Nothing is free in this world Stanley and I hope you have complete success with this visa option, as I'm sure you will. There's not a lot of other options there for the under 50ies and I personally wouldn't drop 10 mil on a condo if I were in that position.

cheers

I imagine that would be possible yes.

Since TE told me that I could also choose to have them send me the card and visa to my home country, and that I'd then just have to go to the nearest consulate or embassy to have it put in my passport, I imagine they're quite flexible and can also accommodate people who are already in Thailand.

But we will know for sure when they have replied.

[ilCapitano79]

Stanley,

From what you've already written, I assume you are outside Thailand ATM

Once you join Thai elite, on what visa are you arriving into Thailand on? How does the 5 year visa get entered into your passport I guess is the question I'm asking.

I wonder for a person that's already in the country, if they merely meet the Thai elite staff and goto Immi in Chaengwattana.....or at the airport....or something like that.

I will speak to my friend next week and help her contact TE directly after that.

Maybe you already know the answer to this, if not, DO NOT make any more enquiries on my behalf, at least as you've already been very helpful.......as has wordchild & co.

I have already joined Thailand Elite and I am arriving on no visa at all. A Thailand Elite staff member is meeting me at my airplane gate in Bangkok to give me my TE card and take me to immigration at the airport where they will put the 5 year visa in my passport.

I have e-mailed TE to ask what the process is for a person who is already in Thailand and will post when I know.

Dont you have to have a visa in your passport to board the plane if your return flight is more then 30 days after you land? Not sure about this, I'm just asking as I'll probebly buy this card as well.

[Stanley78]

Dont you have to have a visa in your passport to board the plane if your return flight is more then 30 days after you land? Not sure about this, I'm just asking as I'll probebly buy this card as well.

I thought about that actually and since I've never been asked when boarding a plane to Thailand to show my returning ticket I didn't book one this time. Especially since I am not departing from a city I intend to return to.

If they do ask at the airport here in Europe I will show them my appointment document I have with immigration at Bangkok airport which Thailand Elite sent me.

And if they do not accept that document I will take out my phone and quickly book a return ticket within 30 days and then refund it when I get to Thailand.

[Frank78]

Last time, boarding from kuala lumpur Emirates asked for my return ticket before allowing me to embark. I had to sign a discharge to take the plane... I won't take Emirates anymore.

Dont you have to have a visa in your passport to board the plane if your return flight is more then 30 days after you land? Not sure about this, I'm just asking as I'll probebly buy this card as well.

I thought about that actually and since I've never been asked when boarding a plane to Thailand to show my returning ticket I didn't book one this time. Especially since I am not departing from a city I intend to return to.

If they do ask at the airport here in Europe I will show them my appointment document I have with immigration at Bangkok airport which Thailand Elite sent me.

And if they do not accept that document I will take out my phone and quickly book a return ticket within 30 days and then refund it when I get to Thailand.

Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Stanley78]

Thailand Elite replied regarding the process of getting the TE visa for people who are already in Thailand. Here it is copy+pasted from their e-mail:

"They can get Elite visa without leaving of country. But the visa that they hold now will be invalided. For instance, if they are now hold Non B visa and want to attach Elite visa while they stay in Thailand the Non B visa gonna be invalided but if they still want to hold Non B visa. We recommend they leave out of country and come back to thailand to attach Elite visa. This way they can hold both visa."

I replied back and asked how and where you can get the visa without leaving and the reply was:

"They can get the visa in Bangkok and our staff can bring member to attach visa at the first time we don't have any charge."

Edited May 18, 2014 by Stanley78

[Stanley78]

Last time, boarding from kuala lumpur Emirates asked for my return ticket before allowing me to embark. I had to sign a discharge to take the plane... I won't take Emirates anymore.

I could be wrong but I would guess that the likelyhood of them asking to see a return ticket (since they can see you haven't booked a round trip with them) is higher at an airport in a neighboring country to Thailand.

I once flew from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket and they didn't ask me but then again they could probably see in their system that I had booked a round trip with that airline returning a few weeks later.

[Frank78]

First time in 4 trip/ they asked me for it.

Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Stanley78]

I had to sign a discharge to take the plane...

What did that entail? That you had to pay for your own return if you were denied entry into Thailand?

[Frank78]

exactly.

I had to sign a discharge to take the plane...

What did that entail? That you had to pay for your own return if you were denied entry into Thailand?

[MZurf]

I contacted the TE member service and got the following (somewhat confusing) information:

I asked them if I (married to a Thai and living in Thailand but working outside Thailand on a 30 days on/off rotation) was eligible for their visa, and if I could go from a Non-O (I don’t currently have one but am planning on getting one in Savannakhet) based on marriage to “their” visa .

Answer:
“Answer : yes you can apply for this program. But we recommend you to attach visa at the airport when you come back to Thailand. You can hold both visa.”

Question:
“What kind of visa will be arranged through Thailand Elite Card - tourist or Non-O?”

Answer:
“Thank you very much for prompt reply. Regarding to your question Elite visa is special tourist. This visa allow you stay in Thailand as Thai citizen and also you can travel in and out as your lifestyle as much as you wish. The length of stay per each entry is 1 year. If you wish to stay in Thailand longer than 1 year, You just go to immigration office to do another 1 year extension. . Moreover, if you have permanence residence in Bangkok you do not need to do 90 days report by yourself. You only prepare document and send to us we have staff do it for you.

The document that we require for applying are;

- copy of passport

- application form

- current picture

Total process is not over 10 working days. Should you have any question please do not hesitate to contact me any time. I look forward to welcoming you as Elite member soon.”

What confuses me is how anyone can hold two different types on visa at the same time – one a Non-O and the other a “special tourist” visa.
I also reacted to the fact that this is a tourist visa – not a Non-Immigrant visa. That has a few implications.

[ukrules]

I contacted the TE member service and got the following (somewhat confusing) information:

I asked them if I (married to a Thai and living in Thailand but working outside Thailand on a 30 days on/off rotation) was eligible for their visa, and if I could go from a Non-O (I don’t currently have one but am planning on getting one in Savannakhet) based on marriage to “their” visa .

Answer:

“Answer : yes you can apply for this program. But we recommend you to attach visa at the airport when you come back to Thailand. You can hold both visa.”

Question:

“What kind of visa will be arranged through Thailand Elite Card - tourist or Non-O?”

Answer:

“Thank you very much for prompt reply. Regarding to your question Elite visa is special tourist. This visa allow you stay in Thailand as Thai citizen and also you can travel in and out as your lifestyle as much as you wish. The length of stay per each entry is 1 year. If you wish to stay in Thailand longer than 1 year, You just go to immigration office to do another 1 year extension. . Moreover, if you have permanence residence in Bangkok you do not need to do 90 days report by yourself. You only prepare document and send to us we have staff do it for you.

The document that we require for applying are;

- copy of passport

- application form

- current picture

Total process is not over 10 working days. Should you have any question please do not hesitate to contact me any time. I look forward to welcoming you as Elite member soon.”

What confuses me is how anyone can hold two different types on visa at the same time – one a Non-O and the other a “special tourist” visa.

I also reacted to the fact that this is a tourist visa – not a Non-Immigrant visa. That has a few implications.

Interesting but the visa allows you to get a driving license and a work permit so it's no regular extended tourist visa that's for sure.

It appears to be more like a special kind of O visa.

Their concierge service offers help in situations where you might need it, for example getting / renewing driving licenses and opening bank accounts, all of which normally require a non tourist O visa.

[LivinLOS]

Regarding to your question Elite visa is special tourist. This visa allow you stay in Thailand as Thai citizen

Citizenship now also !!!

Really they should be handing the detail a little bit clearer than that.

[Murf]

If only it was 100,000 and not 500,000...

Just gimme the visa, i don't want any special privileges like golf and spa, no one needs to meet me at the airport and i will do my own 90 day reports...

[Stanley78]

If only it was 100,000 and not 500,000...

Just gimme the visa, i don't want any special privileges like golf and spa, no one needs to meet me at the airport and i will do my own 90 day reports...

I'm sure that would convenient to a lot of people but then again so would lowering the fee to THB 10000, or why not just make it free?

If a country lets anyone who wants live in it do so without restrictions or hurdles then they're leaving themselves open to a world of potential problems.

Not to say Thailand isn't already doing that to a large extent.

[larsjohnsson]

If only it was 100,000 and not 500,000...

Just gimme the visa, i don't want any special privileges like golf and spa, no one needs to meet me at the airport and i will do my own 90 day reports...

That's the "Kee Nook" card

[richard_smith237]

I contacted the TE member service and got the following (somewhat confusing) information:

I asked them if I (married to a Thai and living in Thailand but working outside Thailand on a 30 days on/off rotation) was eligible for their visa, and if I could go from a Non-O (I don’t currently have one but am planning on getting one in Savannakhet) based on marriage to “their” visa .

Answer:

“Answer : yes you can apply for this program. But we recommend you to attach visa at the airport when you come back to Thailand. You can hold both visa.”

Question:

“What kind of visa will be arranged through Thailand Elite Card - tourist or Non-O?”

Answer:

“Thank you very much for prompt reply. Regarding to your question Elite visa is special tourist. This visa allow you stay in Thailand as Thai citizen and also you can travel in and out as your lifestyle as much as you wish. The length of stay per each entry is 1 year. If you wish to stay in Thailand longer than 1 year, You just go to immigration office to do another 1 year extension. . Moreover, if you have permanence residence in Bangkok you do not need to do 90 days report by yourself. You only prepare document and send to us we have staff do it for you.

The document that we require for applying are;

- copy of passport

- application form

- current picture

Total process is not over 10 working days. Should you have any question please do not hesitate to contact me any time. I look forward to welcoming you as Elite member soon.”

What confuses me is how anyone can hold two different types on visa at the same time – one a Non-O and the other a “special tourist” visa.

I also reacted to the fact that this is a tourist visa – not a Non-Immigrant visa. That has a few implications.

It is possible to hold two visas...

Someone holding a 5 year Thai Elite Visa (or this 1 year Thai Elite Visa)... They would usually come and go using this visa.

If this person also takes a couple of months work in Thailand and becomes Work Permitted in Thailand they would fly out and return on a Non-Imm Type B visa after which they would receive an extension of stay based on work permit (or something similar).

In this example both Visa's are valid. Only one of them is being used to enter.

[wordchild]

one issue with this visa , i believe, is that while you can get a one year driving liscence it does not entitle you to upgrade this to a five year one. Certainly that was the case with the old elite card and it is the same with the new one according to the person i spoke to today at the call centre. This would be a major disadvantge that people should consider relative to say a retirement visa (for those able to get one of those).

Edited May 18, 2014 by wordchild

[wordchild]

I contacted the TE member service and got the following (somewhat confusing) information:

I asked them if I (married to a Thai and living in Thailand but working outside Thailand on a 30 days on/off rotation) was eligible for their visa, and if I could go from a Non-O (I don’t currently have one but am planning on getting one in Savannakhet) based on marriage to “their” visa .

Answer:

“Answer : yes you can apply for this program. But we recommend you to attach visa at the airport when you come back to Thailand. You can hold both visa.”

Question:

“What kind of visa will be arranged through Thailand Elite Card - tourist or Non-O?”

Answer:

“Thank you very much for prompt reply. Regarding to your question Elite visa is special tourist. This visa allow you stay in Thailand as Thai citizen and also you can travel in and out as your lifestyle as much as you wish. The length of stay per each entry is 1 year. If you wish to stay in Thailand longer than 1 year, You just go to immigration office to do another 1 year extension. . Moreover, if you have permanence residence in Bangkok you do not need to do 90 days report by yourself. You only prepare document and send to us we have staff do it for you.

The document that we require for applying are;

- copy of passport

- application form

- current picture

Total process is not over 10 working days. Should you have any question please do not hesitate to contact me any time. I look forward to welcoming you as Elite member soon.”

What confuses me is how anyone can hold two different types on visa at the same time – one a Non-O and the other a “special tourist” visa.

I also reacted to the fact that this is a tourist visa – not a Non-Immigrant visa. That has a few implications.

It is possible to hold two visas...

Someone holding a 5 year Thai Elite Visa (or this 1 year Thai Elite Visa)... They would usually come and go using this visa.

If this person also takes a couple of months work in Thailand and becomes Work Permitted in Thailand they would fly out and return on a Non-Imm Type B visa after which they would receive an extension of stay based on work permit (or something similar).

In this example both Visa's are valid. Only one of them is being used to enter.

In the past i have held two different kinds of Thai visa (both valid) in the same passport; i just had to make sure that the immigration officer got the right page with the one i was requesting to enter the country on.

[neverdie]

one issue with this visa , i believe, is that while you can get a one year driving liscence it does not entitle you to upgrade this to a five year one. Certainly that was the case with the old elite card and it is the same with the new one according to the person i spoke to today at the call centre. This would be a major disadvantge that people should consider relative to say a retirement visa (for those able to get one of those).

Won't affect my friend but it's a bit silly for those that it would, as getting yearly license is a pain in the backside. Hardly the end of the world tho.

[neverdie]

Thailand Elite replied regarding the process of getting the TE visa for people who are already in Thailand. Here it is copy+pasted from their e-mail:

"They can get Elite visa without leaving of country. But the visa that they hold now will be invalided. For instance, if they are now hold Non B visa and want to attach Elite visa while they stay in Thailand the Non B visa gonna be invalided but if they still want to hold Non B visa. We recommend they leave out of country and come back to thailand to attach Elite visa. This way they can hold both visa."

I replied back and asked how and where you can get the visa without leaving and the reply was:

"They can get the visa in Bangkok and our staff can bring member to attach visa at the first time we don't have any charge."

Thanks for that Stanley. Best of luck with it all, your trip and everything and keep in touch and let us know how you go.

[LivinLOS]

one issue with this visa , i believe, is that while you can get a one year driving liscence it does not entitle you to upgrade this to a five year one. Certainly that was the case with the old elite card and it is the same with the new one according to the person i spoke to today at the call centre. This would be a major disadvantge that people should consider relative to say a retirement visa (for those able to get one of those).

I doubt either has anything to do with it..

When you first get a Thai license its a one year license.. This is a sort of provisional type license (its not a full one, you cannot for example get an IDP).

After 12 months of holding the 1 year you can get the 5 year, and after that continue to get the 5 years.

Doesnt matter what form of non imm visa, those rules after about the license. I would bet anyone first applying on any visa will get one year and anyone second applying a year later will always get the 5.

[wordchild]

Of course it is understood that with any kind of visa your first driving licence in thailand will be for one year validity. with certain other visas after this initial year you can then change to a new five year licence. However you cannot do this with the elite visa all you can do is renew for another one year. At least that's what the elite staff have told me in the past and again on the phone today in response to my specific question.

Edited May 18, 2014 by wordchild

[LivinLOS]

I think i got my first 5 year while only on a tourist visa or visa exempt stamp ??

Too long ago to be sure, but around that period I wasnt yet on non imm's.

[Choonpon]

Dear OP,

Do update us your experience/s once you have gotten your Elite visa.

Thank you and best regards.