Who's this elite card for?

[ginglee]

My understanding is that you don't have to go through the 'hoops' every 90 days, it's a 5 years visa?? Anyway I looked at it, and for me it wasn't good value...However if I was guaranteed to live another 20 years, I'd go for the individual membership, the 24 day per year spa & golf access would pay for it's self !!

[ukrules]

The Thai elite card is primarely meant for foreign businessmen who visit Thailand frequently and for that group the card is a good idea. Selling the card to those who just want to live in Thailand was never the intention.

This was true for the original incarnation of the card. After the relaunch in 2013 it is now clearly aimed at long stayers:

• Introduction of a cheaper visa-only card (the 500k version)
• You now get 1 year stamp on entry instead of 90 days
• The ability to "stay in Thailand as long as you want" is now prominently featured in all advertising materials

Yes, it looks like they failed to sell enough of the higher priced memberships with the monthly fees and decided to provide the long requested all purpose visa for people aged under 50 who don't need or want to work in Thailand - those who just want to live here for whatever reason they have and come and go as they please.

If they provided a one year membership I'm sure they would get 1000's of people signing up every year. I suspect they could get away with charging a premium for a one year membership, something like 125-150k and still find plenty of customers who don't want to commit to a full 5 or 20 year membership.

[ukrules]

to me the TE seems like a terrible way to go about staying here.

To each his own but personally I'm beating myself for not buying the 1 million baht lifetime edition of Elite Card in 2003. The guys who did this have been now happily living here for 11 years without any visa worries.

Yes, visas for life with no refusals ever, no visa runs required.

I also read that you can transfer the membership on the original card - so in theory you could sell it on to someone else if you wanted to.

[HerbalEd]

Wow ... what's with all the negative attitude about those who choose to buy into an elite card?

Actually you appear to be the one on a "high horse" with all your slurs about those who choose to buy into the elite card ... e.g., your writing things like "so-called hi-so" (your words, not their's) & "oh-so rich and can afford it and like to shove this fact down the throat of a lot of newbies" & "just a bunch of bitter individuals who like to lecture other people" (But you're not bitter nor like to lecture people, huh? 555.

Talk about being bitter and jealous ... and sour grapes.

Edited July 31, 2014 by HerbalEd

[HerbalEd]

10M is over 300k US$. 500k is just around 15k US$. Most can scrape together 15k on short notice, but to commit 300k for a longer period you need actual loose money in the account. The difference is still quite large.

But.... the Elite card is made for "Elite" members. 300k to a 1%-er (about 50% of Thai visa members) is nothing.

The card is aimed at high grossing individuals. These individuals didn't make money by losing 100k baht a year in non-investment opportunities.

Re. your statement "1%-er (about 50% of Thai visa members." Do you often make up your own fantasy facts? You have no way of knowing the financial status of all tv.com members. But, why let true facts spoil your forgone conclusions?

[DrTuner]

I wish they dropped the "Elite" thing out of it and just sold it for what it is, a long-term visa. It just sounds too snobby.

[HerbalEd]

The simple math is if you can afford to drop 500k on Elite card you can certainly afford to invest 10 million baht for as long as necessary in one of many extremely safe Thai banks (I am not being sarcastic) and earn yourself an annual interest of 2.75%. That's a net profit of 275,000 baht a year or 1,375,000 million in 5 years. Heck, after 2 years you can pull your money out and buy yourself an elite card with the profits if you really, really want to.

I have beaten 10% return on my savings every year for the last 5 or 6.. By some years by multiples, but lets consider a mere 10% return.

That 10 mil put into thai banks then is 'losing' me 1 million a year in lost revenue.. So 5 mil without compounding over the 5 year period..

Sure thats discounted somewhat by having a 2.x % return in Thailand.. Its still a big loss to tie up that over simply spending the 500k.

I don't know you, so I don't know if you are lying or not. That is fine if you have a 10% return, but you are in minority. Mathematically, you also stand to lose money in the future due to a stock market crash while there is a minimum risk investment in guaranteed saving plans with banks.

However, I also don't think you are a type who would buy a 500k visa?

But maybe I am wrong.....

You are absolutely naive and clueless when it comes to finance and investment. Otherwise you'd know that the last place you want large amounts of money during a stock market crash is in a bank. Did you ever hear about the rush on banks when stock market crashed in '29. But again, why let facts spoil your delusions.

[LivinLOS]

I wish they dropped the "Elite" thing out of it and just sold it for what it is, a long-term visa. It just sounds too snobby.

Asians love it tho dont they.. VIP club, Elite this and that..

[HerbalEd]

I am not saying how much money I have.... it is just in bad taste.

But let's just say I had exactly 10 million in my account and I have a choice of 2 visas.

I would go for investor visa and would not even think twice about this Elite card nonsense.

Anyhoo.... what's 10 million baht? Less than 200k UK pounds? The guy on another thread is getting blasted for calling himself financially independent by a lot of posters on this fine forum. I am assuming these posters then must make a lot more and have a pretty good nest egg stashed up. What's a 10mil to them? Why not go for investor visa? It has been there for quite some time and it is super hassle free,

I just don't get it?

Well, at least you got the last sentence right.

[HerbalEd]

I mentioned that if you have 500k to drop on a visa, you certainly must have 10 million to invest.

Wrong. I can afford 500KThB, but not 10MThB.

I'm probably going to pull the trigger on the Elite Card next month.

The difference is that the 500K are gone forever in 5 years, but with good investments the 10M can have become 15.

As yourself have mentioned, if you have the 500K but not the 10M, you should really think twice before getting it, because it would be a serious dent in your global wealth.

With logic like that, he should not spend money on anything but the bare essentials, and invest all the rest. What about fun and comfort?

[HooHaa]

It's the same people here who slag off the people who bought an elite card who also back home slate people who can afford luxery cars and wrist watches etc. Jealousy simple as that. They just cannot comprehend someone spending more money than they have, anything above this threshold is 'a waste' and pointless and STUPID, right?

Got it all the time in Indonesia over apartments, people saying "how can you spend $1800 on a serviced apartment? My apartment is only $300 and I live just fine, roofs over my head is all I need, you must be stupid?"

W4ankers (all of then happen to be teachers funnily enough)

Here is another wanna be super star.

He is comparing an overpriced serviced apartment that he used to pay, like the other guy comparing luxury cars.... which incidentally has nothing to do with this thread except to boost the insecurities of certain posters by saying how much money they have.

Yes, you are all so rich..... yet can not afford a partly 10 million baht for an investment visa?

ROFL

This 500k elite visa is for the guys who don't wanna leave cheap sex, but don't have any other means to stay in Thailand. It's like leasing a car instead of buying. In another 5 years, you are going to lease another.

Do rich people like above posters lease cars?

Bring it on guys! I love a good laugh!

But wait I didn't finish.. My response to these $300 apartment teachers is that my company reimburses me the full cost as it's part of my "package", so what does it matter?

And $1800 for a serviced apartment in Jakarta is overpriced, or for RICH people LOLLLL???! $1800 will get you something distinctly average. I had only just turned 27 at the time so I'm not going to complain, it was ample for me, but certainly not luxury.

Here you are again slagging people off because of something they've bought. It's not like I was boasting to anyone about where I lived.. Someone asks where, I say where, the response is 'that must be expensive?' And my answer is not really. Their question: so how much is it, how many rooms etc? I give them the details of the services provided, facilities, furnishings etc Nd it's $1800. Then all of a sudden the insults start to come out of these pathetic little shits mouths, much like yourself sir. How they only pay this and only pay that, their Casio was only $5 and their sandals (that are falling to bits) are fake leather and only $10. Who gives a shit?! I'm happy for them, but it's the personal and UNPROVOKED insults from people like you that get on my nerves. Immediately you are on the defensive, immediately whatever it is someone has bought is 'overpriced' and they are an 'idiot' for buying it. You are pathetic, but I'm happy for you as long as you keep your crap about your miserable life to yourself and don't blame others for enjoying the fruits of their hard earned labour

Oh.... I see. You didn't finish! There is more to this story! It changes as I suits you and now the company was paying for it.

Hey smarty pants.... I am not laughing at anyone who is stoopid enough to drop 500k on a visa. I am laughing at posters like you who pretend to be internet rich and bash newbies who don't have 500k for elite card like this is the only way to live in Thailand long term.

What a bunch of crapola.

However, someone mentioned that 10mil investment visa is no more. In this case yes, 500k elite visa actually becomes relevant.

not sure whats worse, people who pretend to interent rich or people who cant see that 3000 USD dollars a year is a cost effective hassle free way to get a visa if you can afford it.

[HerbalEd]

I think and wish you would all go back to bed, you are all full of rubbish, have you nothing else to do but rant and rave over this Elite Card.

And yet, here you are reading it and posting a rant yourself.

[HerbalEd]

I think and wish you would all go back to bed, you are all full of rubbish, have you nothing else to do but rant and rave over this Elite Card.

And yet here you are reading the rants and posting a rant yourself.

[LivinLOS]

With logic like that, he should not spend money on anything but the bare essentials, and invest all the rest. What about fun and comfort?

I tend to be like that.. Not that I dont spend anything, but I try to spend a fraction of my returns.. I figure the longer I stay normal, live a basic life, the larger that nestegg grows..

Some years I was here I spent 1/20th of what I made in the year.. I grew up dirt poor, and have no trade to fall back on, so am highly savings motivated.

[F4UCorsair]

I see a lot "farang" on a high horse here who are apologists for this so-called Elite card.

I think whichever way you look at this it is an extremely bad deal as even with this Elite card you have to go through the same hoops such as 90 day reporting, 1900 fee and exit the country once a year. You can be teaching English and come on top in 5 years by 1.5 million baht (minimum) or you could be in a hole for 500k baht.

But let's look at these so-called hi-so Thaivisa members here who "recommend" this "Elite" card to the average Joe because they are oh-so rich and can afford it (and like to shove this fact down the throat of a lot of newbies)

The simple math is if you can afford to drop 500k on Elite card you can certainly afford to invest 10 million baht for as long as necessary in one of many extremely safe Thai banks (I am not being sarcastic) and earn yourself an annual interest of 2.75%. That's a net profit of 275,000 baht a year or 1,375,000 million in 5 years. Heck, after 2 years you can pull your money out and buy yourself an elite card with the profits if you really, really want to.

My guess is that people who are recommending this Elite card are just a bunch of bitter individuals who like to lecture other people on the internet and they themselves don't have 10 million baht to invest and live a hassle free life in Thailand.

I can't wait to read hi-so Farang excuses for Elite card. It's just too funny. I am ready.

And you sound bitter and twisted because you're not in the same league as those who can splash B500K on an Elite Card.

[HerbalEd]

Money value is in the eyes of the purse holder. My Porsche took me to exactly the same place my beat van took me only with a cost difference.

The Elite Cards are for people who can afford them and may spend more than that on cigars yearly. Thailand is very clearly aiming at high end foreigners and wants the bottom feeders out and is making it gradually from uncomfortable to illegal for them to stay here. It causes resentment from people who think that somehow Thailand OWES them a cheap long stay here; not true. Suck it up and leave or pony up into the economic class Thailand wants, simple to see that.

In this comparison 10 investment visa is a Porsche while 500k elite visa is your beat up van.

I hope you understand the difference, but yet again I doubt you even own a car.

Nope, the Porsche is ANY Elite Card and the van is going the route of more temporary visa categories.

I just do not understand the resentment of moneyed people buying a nice Thai visa. I do not like moneyed people, generally, either but resenting them is like resenting the weather. I hope you understand that.

signed former owner, at same time, Porsche SC, BMW M3, Ford Escape, and Ford F150 van. Sold all in USA and bought Toyota pickup here.

I gotta respectfully ask: Why do you "not like moneyed people, generally"? Do you dislike them immediately upon learning they are wealthy? I'm not being a smart ass here ... I'm genuinely curious?

[HerbalEd]

The only people that are foolish to buy this are those that can't afford it. "If" i bought one, and it becomes obsolete after a year for what ever reason, i'd shrug my shoulders and move on. It's money i can afford to lose. That doesn't mean i am going to put (or afford to) 10TB into a Thai bank account.

I don't know anyone, rich or not, who would just shrug their shoulders at getting scammed for 15,000+ usd. to me the TE seems like a terrible way to go about staying here.

Very few people like losing money ... esp. if they're scammed. But to someone who is significantly rich, a $15K loss is a lot less painful and more easily brushed off.

[ukrules]

I wish they dropped the "Elite" thing out of it and just sold it for what it is, a long-term visa. It just sounds too snobby.

I suspect this is where a lot of the negativity comes from but as someone else said I think it's also an Asian thing, they have VIP busses, etc. I'd consider it more of a marketing gimmick than anything else.

As for the OP, it's obvious he signed up here merely to troll about this visa for whatever reasons he has.

I don't pretend to be an 'elite' or 'hi-so' extra wealthy type or anything like that, I'm just a guy who's under 50 who wants a visa without needing to jump through lots of hoops and do visa runs.

When I turn 50 I'll get a retirement visa if I'm still here by then. For now this fits the bill perfectly.

[F4UCorsair]

I am not sure about baht tanking. It is more likely that the western currency will collapse which would make an investment in a Thai bank even more attractive. Since the military rule (and to some extent Euro and Pound), my Canadian dollar went down the toilet. Where will baht be when there are elections in one year?

Look, this Elite card is aimed at well-off people who want to stay here a bit longer. These well off people would have no problems scraping partly 10 mil for an investment visa. It is clearly the best hassle free visa to get..... and putting it in a bank account is just the simplest example I gave.

There are some cock eyed assumptions there.

Not everybody who has B500K has B10M, or wants to invest it at less than 3% in Thailand, or run a business for a higher return.

One can invest in Australian shares, in a number of the top companies paying 7%+ dividends including franking credits.

I see the Elite Card as a hassle free visa rntitlement, a little expensive perhaps, but that's relative.

Edited July 31, 2014 by F4UCorsair

[HerbalEd]

Love these hi-so replies. I lost that much on the weekend. I wouldn't think about it too much. Lol. Rich people unlike some of the fake posters here do not like losing money. That's why they don't buy elite card.....

Anyway my question has been answered. Who is the Elite card for? Obviously it is for people who have 500k but don't have 10 million as shown several times on this thread. The kind of "Elite" members Thailand hopes to attract. Lolololol

I wss right. No wealthy person would ever buy this card.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yeah, you're right. Only poor people buy them.

[HerbalEd]

Love these hi-so replies. I lost that much on the weekend. I wouldn't think about it too much. Lol. Rich people unlike some of the fake posters here do not like losing money.

I didnt say it was a good weekend.. I had a brutal hangover and had banged up my mates 993..

But the shit you do in your young 20s isnt always wise..

Rich people dont mind losing money, as long as what they are doing when they are sometimes losing money is making much much more money..

Exactly. Anybody ... rich and non rich ... who owns a business or is otherwise investing money, is going to have financial losses. The trick is to make lots more money than you loose. Also, the wealthier you are the higher your losses ... and if you're smart (and lucky), the higher your profits.

[MrY]

I am not saying how much money I have.... it is just in bad taste.

But let's just say I had exactly 10 million in my account and I have a choice of 2 visas.

I would go for investor visa and would not even think twice about this Elite card nonsense.

Anyhoo.... what's 10 million baht? Less than 200k UK pounds? The guy on another thread is getting blasted for calling himself financially independent by a lot of posters on this fine forum. I am assuming these posters then must make a lot more and have a pretty good nest egg stashed up. What's a 10mil to them? Why not go for investor visa? It has been there for quite some time and it is super hassle free,

I just don't get it?

Yes, you just don't get it. The 10M 'investment' in Thailand is a much more expensive option than simply paying 500K. Just do the math on zero return (interest minus inflation) vs 5% net return elsewhere.

As far as the Elite Card, I don't have one but I would consider it if I stayed permanently in Thailand. I haven't witnessed anyone recommending one to your "average Joe".

[LivinLOS]

The only people that are foolish to buy this are those that can't afford it. "If" i bought one, and it becomes obsolete after a year for what ever reason, i'd shrug my shoulders and move on. It's money i can afford to lose. That doesn't mean i am going to put (or afford to) 10TB into a Thai bank account.

I don't know anyone, rich or not, who would just shrug their shoulders at getting scammed for 15,000+ usd. to me the TE seems like a terrible way to go about staying here.

Very few people like losing money ... esp. if they're scammed. But to someone who is significantly rich, a $15K loss is a lot less painful and more easily brushed off.

Its also the time value.. Some people price their visa runs in how much the bus to the border costs.. For other a visa run is taking the latest little gik or mia noi down to singapore or hong kong for a few days.. You do that every 60 or 90 days and the elite card seems cheap !!

[phirho]

I wish they dropped the "Elite" thing out of it and just sold it for what it is, a long-term visa. It just sounds too snobby.

In their last press release a couple weeks ago they did mention a plan to rename Thailand Elite to Thailand Privilege

Edited July 31, 2014 by phirho

[HerbalEd]

With logic like that, he should not spend money on anything but the bare essentials, and invest all the rest. What about fun and comfort?

I tend to be like that.. Not that I dont spend anything, but I try to spend a fraction of my returns.. I figure the longer I stay normal, live a basic life, the larger that nestegg grows..

Some years I was here I spent 1/20th of what I made in the year.. I grew up dirt poor, and have no trade to fall back on, so am highly savings motivated.

I've been very frugal most of my life and have always saved much more that I made. However, as I've gotten older and wealthier, I've allowed myself more comfort and toys. Now that I'm semi-retired and turning 70 next year, I'm financially loosening up even more. BUT, I hate wasting money.

That being said: Please correct me if my facts and logic is faulty here, but my understanding is this:

1- With the elite card I can get a five year visa for approx. US$15K ($3K/year). For me this is cheaper that my yearly cost of visas & visa runs, so I'm losing money without the elite card.

2- With the elite card visa I can come in and out of Thailand as frequently as I want.

3- And I only have to report to Thai immigration once per year, and not every 90 days. For me this seems ever better than a retirement visa, which I was on the verge of getting soon.

If this is all true ... and I'm sure if it's not I'll be soon corrected ( but be nice "gentlemen") ... then why the hell wouldn't I want an elite card?

BTW, if no. 2 above is correct, do I have to get a re-entry permit before I depart Thailand.

Thanks

Edited July 31, 2014 by HerbalEd

[LivinLOS]

Point 3, you need to report every 90 days you stay incountry.. Any trip out resets the counter.

The rest of it is correct (as per my understanding) and you dont need a re entry permit.. you get a new 1 year entry each time with only reporting requirements.

[DrTuner]

I wish they dropped the "Elite" thing out of it and just sold it for what it is, a long-term visa. It just sounds too snobby.

In their last press release a couple weeks ago they did mention a plan to rename Thailand Elite to Thailand Privilege

I wonder if they'll change the visa sticker too. From what I've seen the company logo is printed on it. Would make sense though, as the visa is called Privilege(d) Entry.

[ukrules]

I've been very frugal most of my life and have always saved much more that I made. However, as I've gotten older and wealthier, I've allowed myself more comfort and toys. Now that I'm semi-retired and turning 70 next year, I'm financially loosening up even more. BUT, I hate wasting money.

That being said: Please correct me if my facts and logic is faulty here, but my understanding is this:

1- With the elite card I can get a five year visa for approx. US$15K ($3K/year). For me this is cheaper that my yearly cost of visas & visa runs, so I'm losing money without the elite card.

2- With the elite card visa I can come in and out of Thailand as frequently as I want.

3- And I only have to report to Thai immigration once per year, and not every 90 days. For me this seems ever better than a retirement visa, which I was on the verge of getting soon.

If this is all true ... and I'm sure if it's not I'll be soon corrected ( but be nice "gentlemen") ... then why the hell wouldn't I want an elite card?

BTW, if no. 2 above is correct, do I have to get a re-entry permit before I depart Thailand.

Thanks

Yes on all questions apart from 3, 90 day reporting still needs to be done but it can be done by post and it depends where you are.

No re-entry permit is required at all, you can travel as often or as little as you want. You can only use the limo service 24 times a year but I believe you will always get fast tracked on entry.

If I was old enough to retire I would go for some kind of visa extension based on my age. Can't you just get one of those and extend it for 1 year ?

Edited July 31, 2014 by ukrules

[HerbalEd]

The only people that are foolish to buy this are those that can't afford it. "If" i bought one, and it becomes obsolete after a year for what ever reason, i'd shrug my shoulders and move on. It's money i can afford to lose. That doesn't mean i am going to put (or afford to) 10TB into a Thai bank account.

I don't know anyone, rich or not, who would just shrug their shoulders at getting scammed for 15,000+ usd. to me the TE seems like a terrible way to go about staying here.

Very few people like losing money ... esp. if they're scammed. But to someone who is significantly rich, a $15K loss is a lot less painful and more easily brushed off.

Its also the time value.. Some people price their visa runs in how much the bus to the border costs.. For other a visa run is taking the latest little gik or mia noi down to singapore or hong kong for a few days.. You do that every 60 or 90 days and the elite card seems cheap !!

Yes, I've often turned my visa runs into a mini-holiday, or tried to time them with tourism or business trips outside Thailand. But, I can't always do this and then the visa run can be a pain in the ass (quite literally). Also, with the new immigration policy, consistent back-to-back border runs are becoming a thing of the past.

[gerry1011]

Who's this Elite Card for?

For the owner of a medium sized 80ft, 200 million baht motor yacht... The Elite card fee is peanuts.

For the person interested in a 110 million baht duplex at The River... The Elite card fee is peanuts.

For retiree owning a 60 million villa next to the Four Seasons Chiangmai... The Elite card fee is peanuts.

For the young successful investor driving a Ferrari... The Elite card fee is peanuts.

For the former businessman retiring confortably with serious investments to guaranty the future... The Elite card is a very good deal.

For the young active professional travelling in and out regularly... The Elite card fee is a good deal.

For everyone who is financially comfortable and want trouble free stays in Thailand, the answer is the Thailand Elite card.

In fact, the Elite card is a very good deal... I just don't see why some (passionate haters) feel the need to come up with insignificant "maths"... with the sole reason to tell us that they can't afford the card...

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited July 31, 2014 by gerry1011