Thailand Elite Card

[womble]

Elite Card still floundering

In the face of dismal worldwide interest in the Thailand Elite Card, the company that issues the card, Thailand Privilege Card Co (TPC), plans to strengthen and unite its sales task force round the world, starting with its main market in the Asia-Pacific region.

President Choksiri Rodboonpha said TPC planned to create a network of sales agents to boost its sales effectiveness.

The Thailand Elite Card, which was launched by the Thaksin government in 2003, offers huge privileges to wealthy foreign tourists, including free first-class Thai Airways travel and VIP treatment upon arrival in Thailand, plus a special five-year, multiple-entry visa. It also provides discounts at hotels and restaurants.

A lifetime Elite Card costs Bt1 million if the holder lives abroad, and Bt2 million if the holder lives in Thailand.

When launched, the card was expected to attract 100,000 holders within its first year. But earlier this year, TPC said it had just over 2,000 members and was planning to restrict membership to fewer than 7,000 as a means of delivering better service, as well as more than doubling the cost of the card. Yesterday, the number of cardholders was said to be "more than 1,500".

Choksiri said his company would hold training courses for its sales agents from 25 countries this year and then unify both its distribution system and its distribution standards.

Choksiri said TPC would train and advise country and distribution partners about the establishment of companies and enhance their understanding of the card's membership benefits in terms of recreation, medical and healthcare and liaising with government agencies.

Paitoon Pongkesorn, head of the executive committee, said Thailand was the first country in the world to offer elite membership services.

"TPC now has more than 1,500 members, mostly business operators, industrialists and investors. They're a class of people representing a potential business community," she said.

TPC is in the process of selecting additional vendors in Thailand. These include 10 golf courses, 10 spas and four hospitals. They will also become coordinating centres for immigration matters, international driving licences, visa extensions and work permits.

"TPC is also working with the Land Department in studying land ownership," said Paitoon.

Under the law, foreigners who want to buy a rai of land must deposit a Bt40-million bond for at least five years. However, she said TPC hoped to get Parliament to rewrite the law and switch the provision of the bond to buying an elite card.

Derek Murphy, chairman of a new sales agency called Thailand Elite Australia, said that his organisation had begun marketing card membership on the Gold Coast, and similar campaigns would soon begin in Sydney and Melbourne.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation

Chon Buri

[womble]

This is a strangely written article, firstly it states dismal worldwide interest, then it goes on as an almost sales like pitch article. Saying there are huge benefits, which there are not.

Then says 100,000 people were initially targeted, I thought it was one million.

One of the funniest parts is they have around 2000 members but now want to restrict membership to 7000!!!

But for me, my favorite bit is the fact they are now going to double the cost of the card. Yup it's Thai economics at it's finest, forget about supply and demand curves, if you can't find customers, charge the idiots who do want the service double!!!

This has to be one of the biggest white elephants in history, why don't they just admit defeat, they've wasted millions and millions of $$$$ on this one and will continue to flogging a dead horse.

[astral]

I don't understand the bit about International Driving Licences.....

Why would a tourist/business man be applying in Thailand?

He has to get the IDP in his own country.

PS White Elephants are hightly revered in Thailand!!!

[Donz]

I they should send me a elite card.

[ratcatcher]

This is a strangely written article, firstly it states dismal worldwide interest, then it goes on as an almost sales like pitch article. Saying there are huge benefits, which there are not.

Then says 100,000 people were initially targeted, I thought it was one million.

One of the funniest parts is they have around 2000 members but now want to restrict membership to 7000!!!

But for me, my favorite bit is the fact they are now going to double the cost of the card. Yup it's Thai economics at it's finest, forget about supply and demand curves, if you can't find customers, charge the idiots who do want the service double!!!

This has to be one of the biggest white elephants in history, why don't they just admit defeat, they've wasted millions and millions of $$$$ on this one and will continue to flogging a dead horse.

Yep, the above post just about says it all. Yes, I do believe the original ambitious target was indeed 1 million.

Can't find enough wealthy suckers around the world? What to do? Double the price, pretend that it's an even more exclusive 'club' than it really is and then sit back and wait.

Anyone with real class and serious money isn't going to want to "Thai" themselves down with this little gimmick. I suppose a few of the new rich Chinese and Koreans might feel the need to pony up for this scam.

If some place is really attractive and worth being involved with, none of these gimmicks are needed. A white elephant from day one but someone somewhere doesn't want to lose face. Could it be "Big Face' himself?

[Rinrada]

Paitoon Pongkesorn, head of the executive committee, said Thailand was the first country in the world to offer elite membership services....dont think so..

"TPC now has more than 1,500 members, mostly business operators, industrialists and investors. They're a class of people representing a potential business community," she said.

[/quote

Seem to remember that as a publicity stunt they were given them away as "Freebies" to a load of has been 2nd rate film actors and the usual mottly collection of dodgy "wide boy"property developers... ...Lucky bags.. come to mind...

[baboon]

Who in their right mind would invest in a scheme that could be closed down at any point on the whim of whoever is in power? Would anyone like to bet on being compensated for the loss?

[Meerkat]

OK first things first - I'm not entirely sure about the complete accuracy of the article. The original price was 1m for people living abroad and 2m for people living here, but it was changed a long way back to 1m across the board. Indeed the annual fee that was introduced (last year I think?) has also been cancelled (although there are additional fees now for such extras as boat-mooring). So the part about "more than doubling the cost" doesn't make sense (even if they have reintroduced the 2m for de-facto residents).

Anyway, I joined last month and so far couldn't be happier.

The problem with this board as far as TE is concerned is that everybody grumbles because it doesn't suit them. You only have to look at the response to the stillborn TV Visa card to see that. Everybody wanted "this"discount or "that" discount - ie they wanted something for nothing - to make money on the card. TE simply isn't designed to be that. It's a package of services that you buy; the discounts are by-and-large meaningless to those in a position to buy the card. The benefits only fit a tiny proportion of visitors here, but fit them they do. If it cost ten-bob to join, I doubt there'd be a snide comment on these forums.

What makes it worthwhile for me are:

The visa (less opportunity cost than locking up 3m in the bank here, and when I want to stay in LoS for a longer period, my visa-runs every 90 days will be...er...30km to the nearest immigration office).

The breeze that is now going through formalities at the airport. 30 mins lounge-to-lounge last time - for someone that abhors queueing that's worth a bundle on its own.

Efficient transportation is good but not a deal-clincher. Heck, I suppose I could even justify the cost based solely on limos, especially when Suvarnabhumi opens. If I had been looking for a discount card that is. Which I wasn't.

Contacts within the government. Potentially very useful seeing as I'm thinking of investing a stack of dough out here (no, I'm not a wide-boy property shark...sorry...developer).

Concierges who are not only eager to help, but seem to be in a position to do so too (unlike most of these credit-card type "concierges").

Bonus points for the golf membership, the club in the city and other bits and bobs.

Now I'm not naive enough to think that it might not all come crashing down in the future, although I don't now think (as I did - indeed the reason for not joining earlier) that it will be cancelled by an opposition government if they come into power this year. But it might, and I'm sure there'll be many a poster on TV to revel in the news - I'm sorry if I read it wrong, but as I see it, it'll smack of schadenfreude. Anyway, that 1m baht risk is just another cost to evaluate.

The biggest problem was Taksin's hubris over the whole issue. Yes, the original prediction of a million (or 100k) members does seem to have been daft. I'll tell you what though. If they do limit it to 7,000 members, those of us in now have a potentially scarce resource that could appreciate. Do I reckon it will be limited if they get near that new target? Nah, of course not, it's just another promotional tool!

[womble]

For those dissolutioned by investment and living in Thailand check out the incentives offered by this country for expats. It's long, but you'll be blown away by what they're offering.

Here's a few of the main ones:

No Taxes on Real estate for 20 years

No income tax for 10 years on tourist related business

Construction and importation of items for use on tourist business tax and import tax free.

every two years a new car can be imported ) 0% import tax

They will give residency and after 5 years your own passport

100% ownership of land and business and equal rights as foriegners in courts of law

http://www.fenixpanama.com/panama-tourism-incentive-law.html

For those fed up with being treated as second class citizens maybe there are other places where our investment is wanted and we are treated accordingly for our involvement.

I love Thailand, but when a country can offer incentives it makes you think that maybe just maybe there are places other than Thailand.

I can only see things getting worse for foriegners here, maybe we should take our cash where it's wanted.

Oh and I forgot to mention it's an offshore tax haven.

[womble]

OK first things first - I'm not entirely sure about the complete accuracy of the article. The original price was 1m for people living abroad and 2m for people living here, but it was changed a long way back to 1m across the board. Indeed the annual fee that was introduced (last year I think?) has also been cancelled (although there are additional fees now for such extras as boat-mooring). So the part about "more than doubling the cost" doesn't make sense (even if they have reintroduced the 2m for de-facto residents).

Anyway, I joined last month and so far couldn't be happier.

The problem with this board as far as TE is concerned is that everybody grumbles because it doesn't suit them. You only have to look at the response to the stillborn TV Visa card to see that. Everybody wanted "this"discount or "that" discount - ie they wanted something for nothing - to make money on the card. TE simply isn't designed to be that. It's a package of services that you buy; the discounts are by-and-large meaningless to those in a position to buy the card. The benefits only fit a tiny proportion of visitors here, but fit them they do. If it cost ten-bob to join, I doubt there'd be a snide comment on these forums.

What makes it worthwhile for me are:

The visa (less opportunity cost than locking up 3m in the bank here, and when I want to stay in LoS for a longer period, my visa-runs every 90 days will be...er...30km to the nearest immigration office).

The breeze that is now going through formalities at the airport. 30 mins lounge-to-lounge last time - for someone that abhors queueing that's worth a bundle on its own.

Efficient transportation is good but not a deal-clincher. Heck, I suppose I could even justify the cost based solely on limos, especially when Suvarnabhumi opens. If I had been looking for a discount card that is. Which I wasn't.

Contacts within the government. Potentially very useful seeing as I'm thinking of investing a stack of dough out here (no, I'm not a wide-boy property shark...sorry...developer).

Concierges who are not only eager to help, but seem to be in a position to do so too (unlike most of these credit-card type "concierges").

Bonus points for the golf membership, the club in the city and other bits and bobs.

Now I'm not naive enough to think that it might not all come crashing down in the future, although I don't now think (as I did - indeed the reason for not joining earlier) that it will be cancelled by an opposition government if they come into power this year. But it might, and I'm sure there'll be many a poster on TV to revel in the news - I'm sorry if I read it wrong, but as I see it, it'll smack of schadenfreude. Anyway, that 1m baht risk is just another cost to evaluate.

The biggest problem was Taksin's hubris over the whole issue. Yes, the original prediction of a million (or 100k) members does seem to have been daft. I'll tell you what though. If they do limit it to 7,000 members, those of us in now have a potentially scarce resource that could appreciate. Do I reckon it will be limited if they get near that new target? Nah, of course not, it's just another promotional tool!

so you got nothing worthwhile other than a few contacts in government which you could have made for free if you mixed in the right circles, which if you are involved in business that needs those contacts you should already have avenues to go down to meet those contacts.

I'm sorry but it's not worth 1m baht to check in quickly, get a bit of transport, play some golf for free and easy concierge.

You've mentioned nothing worthwhile other than the contacts which probobally think your a bit of a joke for being so stupid as to waste your money on this card.

sorry I don't mean to be rude, but I really could not see before your post what use this card was to any paying customer. Now after reading your list of benefits i'm convinced it's a total scam.

If the card was $1000 that would represent good value with the free golf and limo, easy visa stamp etc, but 1m baht no way.

Edited July 25, 2006 by womble

[Ling Kae]

Multiple entry Non Immigrant O visa 5,000 baht from Penang.

Elite card 1 million baht.

I think I can handle 4 days a year doing visa runs and keep my 1 million baht earning 6% interest abroad. Laws and rules can be changed at anytime. I will certainly be advising my Aussie friends of their options before they jump in.

[ovenman]

Under the law, foreigners who want to buy a rai of land must deposit a Bt40-million bond for at least five years. However, she said TPC hoped to get Parliament to rewrite the law and switch the provision of the bond to buying an elite card

Sure thing, ma'am. I'm sure that once the new gov't is elected, changing this pesky law so as to make land ownership by farang easier will be a top priority. Dream on, kidz...

[Meerkat]

so you got nothing worthwhile other than a few contacts in government which you could have made for free if you mixed in the right circles, which if you are involved in business that needs those contacts you should already have avenues to go down to meet those contacts.

I'm sorry but it's not worth 1m baht to check in quickly, get a bit of transport, play some golf for free and easy concierge.

You've mentioned nothing worthwhile other than the contacts which probobally think your a bit of a joke for being so stupid as to waste your money on this card.

sorry I don't mean to be rude, but I really could not see before your post what use this card was to any paying customer. Now after reading your list of benefits i'm convinced it's a total scam.

If the card was $1000 that would represent good value with the free golf and limo, easy visa stamp etc, but 1m baht no way.

Your last comment is exactly what I was thinking about in my original post when I wrote "If it cost ten-bob to join, I doubt there'd be a snide comment on these forums." Your argument isn't really centred around the programme itself, you just think it's worth $1,000 and I think it's worth $25,000. We obviously value different things differently (and long may that last - it's what makes the world go round).

As far as the government contacts go though (and your insult aside), as I stated, they are "potentially" very useful. Not something I'm counting on, but I spend most of my time in HK (and the bulk of the rest of my time flitting around AsPac) and introductions help enormously; introductions I'd be unlikely to win so effortlessly.

Edited July 25, 2006 by Meerkat

[TokyoT]

No you see the plan is for the current government to make the change, and then once they finally get this political mess straightened out (say 2-3 years from now), the new government to change things back – and confiscate all the land the Farangs had bought.

[Meerkat]

Under the law, foreigners who want to buy a rai of land must deposit a Bt40-million bond for at least five years. However, she said TPC hoped to get Parliament to rewrite the law and switch the provision of the bond to buying an elite card

Sure thing, ma'am. I'm sure that once the new gov't is elected, changing this pesky law so as to make land ownership by farang easier will be a top priority. Dream on, kidz...

Agreed. I think the land-ownership carrot has always been, and continues to be, a waste of bandwidth on TE's part.

[ovenman]

Under the law, foreigners who want to buy a rai of land must deposit a Bt40-million bond for at least five years. However, she said TPC hoped to get Parliament to rewrite the law and switch the provision of the bond to buying an elite card

Sure thing, ma'am. I'm sure that once the new gov't is elected, changing this pesky law so as to make land ownership by farang easier will be a top priority. Dream on, kidz...

Agreed. I think the land-ownership carrot has always been, and continues to be, a waste of bandwidth on TE's part.

On the other hand, if the Thai government really wanted to sell a pile of Elite Cards in a hurry, allowing Elite Card holders to actually own land would do the trick. I guarantee you that many potential home buyers would simply factor the extra million for the Card in to the cost of their spiffy new home. But the truth is that enough of the powers-that-be already feel that the goalposts are now too low for foreign-ownership of land. I recall that a number of politicians complained when the 40 million baht bond value for the purchase of one rai of land was enacted. They felt that the amount of dosh in question was not enough.

[sriracha john]

Trotting out this long-dead horse once again, in yet another bid to try to recoup some of the millions the government has lost promoting this worthless program.

Just as none of its lunatic aspirations have been met, so do none of its so-called benefits justify its cost.

For the record, it was Thaksin's "baby" from the git go and was begun with his goal of 1 million cards and 1 TRILLION baht in sales...

Just as his current predictament indicates, his foresight and judgement are about nil.

[womble]

"Your last comment is exactly what I was thinking about in my original post when I wrote "If it cost ten-bob to join, I doubt there'd be a snide comment on these forums." Your argument isn't really centred around the programme itself, you just think it's worth $1,000 and I think it's worth $25,000. We obviously value different things differently (and long may that last - it's what makes the world go round).

As far as the government contacts go though (and your insult aside), as I stated, they are "potentially" very useful. Not something I'm counting on, but I spend most of my time in HK (and the bulk of the rest of my time flitting around AsPac) and introductions help enormously; introductions I'd be unlikely to win so effortlessly."

So what do you do in the other 192 countries where you can't pay $25,000 to meet "potentially" useful contacts that your not really counting on anyway.

You'd be better off spending that money on the horses, the pay off from a win could "potentially" be very useful aswell, especially if you go for an outsider or a long shot if you like say 100 nah 200/1....

I know where the smart money is going and it ain't on that card mate.

Edited July 25, 2006 by womble

[ovenman]

For the record, it was Thaksin's "baby" from the git go and was begun with his goal of 1 million cards and 1 TRILLION baht in sales...

Indeed, a goal that was to have been met five years from the introduction of the card, which gives them either 'til the beginning of 2007 or 2008 to move another 998K+ of those babies (can't remember offhand whether the Elite Card was introduced in early '02 or '03). In any event, TICK-TOCK...

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Of course it may be useful to a few people, but in the main, it's just a nonsense to make certain people feel artificially important.

If you are of the elite, you certainly don't want to scrabble around to find out where you can get your complimentary massage or worry about whether you'll get an automatic 5 to 10% discount at certain shops in Emporium.

If you are in the business environment, a couple of emails from your assistant should keep you up to speed with any important seminars.

Two million baht Personal Accident Insurance? What a joke? My travel insurance covers me for seven hundred million baht.

Admittedly, I can afford to holiday most of the year, so being rushed through Bangkok Airport is not a high priority. If I'm staying for six months, what does it matter if I spend an extra ten minutes at the airport?

If I'm of the Elite, I'd already have a Gold FF card. Most of the benefits are nonsense.

There are for people who are clearly not of the elite as the 'elite' would be catered for in these circumstances anyway.

It's just for wannabees.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Jiu-Jitsu

[Scott]

After years in Thailand and working around the world, the Thai gov't is simply not trustworthy enough to make this kind of an investment in with my future.

I would be more likely to buy such a card from someplace like North Korea than here--since they have a gov't that can and will enforce it.

[skippybangkok]

Well, the take has it , that out of the x,000 that have signed up, very many were give aways, or people who were already closely linked to the govt and were asked to "support the cause"

[Arsenal]

Of course it may be useful to a few people, but in the main, it's just a nonsense to make certain people feel artificially important.

If you are of the elite, you certainly don't want to scrabble around to find out where you can get your complimentary massage or worry about whether you'll get an automatic 5 to 10% discount at certain shops in Emporium.

If you are in the business environment, a couple of emails from your assistant should keep you up to speed with any important seminars.

Two million baht Personal Accident Insurance? What a joke? My travel insurance covers me for seven hundred million baht.

Admittedly, I can afford to holiday most of the year, so being rushed through Bangkok Airport is not a high priority. If I'm staying for six months, what does it matter if I spend an extra ten minutes at the airport?

If I'm of the Elite, I'd already have a Gold FF card. Most of the benefits are nonsense.

There are for people who are clearly not of the elite as the 'elite' would be catered for in these circumstances anyway.

It's just for wannabees.

I think this post hits the nail squarely on the head.The flaw in the business case for the elite card is that the target audience (wealthy high spending foreigners) would by definition be happy to pay their own way without brandishing some kind of discount card, albeit a pricey one.So yes it's primarily for wannabees.

[Ling Kae]

Of course it may be useful to a few people, but in the main, it's just a nonsense to make certain people feel artificially important.

If you are of the elite, you certainly don't want to scrabble around to find out where you can get your complimentary massage or worry about whether you'll get an automatic 5 to 10% discount at certain shops in Emporium.

If you are in the business environment, a couple of emails from your assistant should keep you up to speed with any important seminars.

Two million baht Personal Accident Insurance? What a joke? My travel insurance covers me for seven hundred million baht.

Admittedly, I can afford to holiday most of the year, so being rushed through Bangkok Airport is not a high priority. If I'm staying for six months, what does it matter if I spend an extra ten minutes at the airport?

If I'm of the Elite, I'd already have a Gold FF card. Most of the benefits are nonsense.

There are for people who are clearly not of the elite as the 'elite' would be catered for in these circumstances anyway.

It's just for wannabees.

I think this post hits the nail squarely on the head.The flaw in the business case for the elite card is that the target audience (wealthy high spending foreigners) would by definition be happy to pay their own way without brandishing some kind of discount card, albeit a pricey one.So yes it's primarily for wannabees.

I think you are both right too. I have a couple close wealthy farang friends who just laugh at the Elite Card and it's benefits, "it just isn't worth it" they say.