Thailand Elite Membership/Card - The low down

[gerry1011]

Ouch!

Another happy (original) member above...

One more blow to the Thailand Elite bashers

I wonder if we should not start a new thread with members giving all their good experiences about the program... Would be nice.

[JThai]

I wish I could get in on that lifetime TE for $25K usd back then!

[ubonjoe]

Multiple troll posts attempting to derail the topic has been removed along with replies to them.

[gerry1011]

Trolls are important to create awareness.

It gives the members an occasion to counter the critics with real facts.

Soon, in November, the new privileges for the members will be announced. Something tells me that it will be very interesting

[ubonjoe]

Trolls are important to create awareness.

It gives the members an occasion to counter the critics with real facts.

Soon, in November, the new privileges for the members will be announced. Something tells me that it will be very interesting

Not when the same one posts 10 or more one line posts.

[gerry1011]

Trolls are important to create awareness.

It gives the members an occasion to counter the critics with real facts.

Soon, in November, the new privileges for the members will be announced. Something tells me that it will be very interesting

Not when the same one posts 10 or more one line posts.

Indeed.

Smart trolls are more useful

[rickthailand]

loooooove my TE card

[ukrules]

loooooove my TE card

I'm finding mine useful too. No more annoying trips out of the country every three months.

No more long haul trips back to europe to get triple entry visas which certain Embassies are increasingly refusing to issue.

Not having to do the European trips alone more than pays for my TE membership fee. I'm saving much more than I spent on this visa.

Edited October 29, 2014 by ukrules

[gerry1011]

Some here wonder why - since many years - I am an ardent defender of the Thailand Elite program.

The reasons are multiple.

- I believe Thailand Elite is the best option to stay in Thailand. Better than any other option, be it retirement visa (too tiring), marriage (too costly), ED (too worrying), fake business (too much headaches), tourist (too much visa runs), ...

- I really don't like thaivisa posters writing depressing false facts, baseless critics, or ridiculous lies about the program, so I drop by - since years - to challenge them with the real facts. The haters don't like me doing this, of course.

- I also believe that the more people join Thailand Elite, the better it is for the members. So, these threads are good to create awareness.

- I believe that Thailand Elite is very good value for money (at least for now), and worth considering by all of those who want to enjoy Thailand.

I must say that when I see other members write that they are satisfied about their membership, I feel happy

Thank you fellow members to make me feel happy, and enjoy your membership

Any of you went to the Thailand Elite / Lamborghini event last week?

[bim]

loooooove my TE card

I'm finding mine useful too. No more annoying trips out of the country every three months.

No more long haul trips back to europe to get triple entry visas which certain Embassies are increasingly refusing to issue.

Not having to do the European trips alone more than pays for my TE membership fee. I'm saving much more than I spent on this visa.

Yep same here. Saves money in the long run and well worth the outlay.

[JThai]

loooooove my TE card

I'm finding mine useful too. No more annoying trips out of the country every three months.

No more long haul trips back to europe to get triple entry visas which certain Embassies are increasingly refusing to issue.

Not having to do the European trips alone more than pays for my TE membership fee. I'm saving much more than I spent on this visa.

Nice logic there but did you really need to go to Europe for your visa needs. Mulitple double entrys would have suited you just fine for a lot less. I'm not anti TE at all, I want one, but this is a BS justification. So maybe instead you are just saving time, but money, no way.

[bim]

loooooove my TE card

I'm finding mine useful too. No more annoying trips out of the country every three months.

No more long haul trips back to europe to get triple entry visas which certain Embassies are increasingly refusing to issue.

Not having to do the European trips alone more than pays for my TE membership fee. I'm saving much more than I spent on this visa.

Nice logic there but did you really need to go to Europe for your visa needs. Mulitple double entrys would have suited you just fine for a lot less. I'm not anti TE at all, I want one, but this is a BS justification. So maybe instead you are just saving time, but money, no way.

The visa I was on was only available in the UK. So twice a year I had to fly back so your wrong im afraid. In addition I have no wish to travel anywhere as I love this country so worth every penny anyway as the TE visa allows me that privilage.

[cms22]

I'm in a similar situation. I finally got married (and we have a daughter) and all my worries re immigration disappeared!

[gerry1011]

In fact, the life of a retiree is easier with a Thailand Elite visa than with a retiree visa.

You can very well be retired and be a Thailand Elite member.

The life of a married man (or woman) is easier with a Thailand Elite visa than with a marriage visa.

You can very well be married (happily or not) and be a Thailand Elite member (if not happily married, the Thailand Elite visa is a good "plan b").

The life of a "student" (or a real student without the "")(not many of these though) is easier with a Thailand Elite visa than with an ED visa.

You can very well learn Thai (or boxing or whatever) and be a Thailand Elite member.

The life of a businessman coming often to Thailand is easier with a Thailand Elite visa than with a business visa.

The life of someone "depending on his kids" (or similar things that I never understand really), is easier with a Thailand Elite visa than with a dependent visa (or such thing).

And, of course, the life of a working man is also easier with a Thailand Elite visa, ... But since working on such a visa is illegal, it would not be wise for a worker to spend money on such a program... and be caught working later on, and deported...

So, for those needing a job to go on in life, Thailand Elite is not a solution.

For all the others, it is a very nice and comfortable solution !

Edited October 29, 2014 by gerry1011

[bkkden]

Love my membership as well! The organization, services, visa, members events all contribute to a higher quality of life in our adopted home!

Best thing I've done is join the TE program.

If it suits you and you can afford it go for it!

[HidyHo]

I must say that when I see other members write that they are satisfied about their membership, I feel happy

You are a very patient man with cool head on this topic, I must say ....

So far, I noticed that Elite Members I know in real life (1 or 2) or on the board (few to many) are happy/satisfied with it but am amazed by discredit/misinformation/deflection on this topic from presumably less or uninformed people on this forum.

[gerry1011]

I must say that when I see other members write that they are satisfied about their membership, I feel happy

You are a very patient man with cool head on this topic, I must say ....

So far, I noticed that Elite Members I know in real life (1 or 2) or on the board (few to many) are happy/satisfied with it but am amazed by discredit/misinformation/deflection on this topic from presumably less or uninformed people on this forum.

I don't deserve much credit for being patient...

For me, posting on the Thailand Elite threads is a hobby

But thank you

I have also been amazed by the past extreme negativity of this forum and its posters towards the Thailand Elite program.

The (widely tolerated) vitriolic and insulting comments towards the Elite members and the misinformation about the program written since years on this forum about the Thailand Elite program was kind of surreal.

But things have changed, and now it seems that this forum and most of its posters recognize the advantages of being a Thailand Elite member.

The only thing I feel sorry for, is that all the negativism spread in the past on this forum has delayed the decision of many foreigners to become members, while others enjoy the privileges since over a decade.

But now, more and more foreigners join the club, and the days are bright for the members and the program

Edited October 29, 2014 by gerry1011

[richard_smith237]

I must say that when I see other members write that they are satisfied about their membership, I feel happy

You are a very patient man with cool head on this topic, I must say ....

So far, I noticed that Elite Members I know in real life (1 or 2) or on the board (few to many) are happy/satisfied with it but am amazed by discredit/misinformation/deflection on this topic from presumably less or uninformed people on this forum.

I don't deserve much credit for being patient...

For me, posting on the Thailand Elite threads is a hobby

But thank you

I have also been amazed by the past extreme negativity of this forum and its posters towards the Thailand Elite program.

The (widely tolerated) vitriolic and insulting comments towards the Elite members and the misinformation about the program written since years on this forum about the Thailand Elite program was kind of surreal.

But things have changed, and now it seems that this forum and most of its posters recognize the advantages of being a Thailand Elite member.

The only thing I feel sorry for, is that all the negativism spread in the past on this forum has delayed the decision of many foreigners to become members, while others enjoy the privileges since over a decade.

But now, more and more foreigners join the club, and the days are bright for the members and the program

I too am a TE Member (1MB lifetime).... At the time and up until recently the future of the program was a little sketchy...

I have always been happy with TE membership, have always hoped the program would last and I'm happy that this 5 year option has breathed new life into what may have been an uncertain future.

The detractors knew very little of the program other than what they had read in the press; the BKK Post which was extremely bias against the Thai Elite Program.

Other posters took offence at the name 'Elite', while other posters questioned the economics.

Some made valid arguments against the program which made for interesting discussion - but too many ill informed repetitive and argumentative posters who would become insulting and destroy any option for intelligent debate... We all know the sort, those who enter a discussion and force their opinions on others, then shout, then become insulting, then abusive, there is no point debating or arguing with these idiots and the only person more idiotic than an idiot, is the idiot who argues with him !...

[falang07]

OK, all my post have been deleted, never mind. I say read the conditions properly and think twice before paying 100k per year for the visa which is not guaranteed in the future and can be obtained in other and cheaper ways, too. If they offered a lifetime option, it might be different story. If one is rich, he/she can easily get investor visa with just 10M baht invested into his properties/condo, bonds, etc which will stay his/hers and he can sell it in the future, if needed. And after one is 50, TE is just useless.

[JThai]

The visa I was on was only available in the UK. So twice a year I had to fly back so your wrong im afraid. In addition I have no wish to travel anywhere as I love this country so worth every penny anyway as the TE visa allows me that privilage.

Curious what Visa that is? Maybe I can get a great visa back home in the US too.

[simon43]

And after one is 50, TE is just useless.

Curious about your comment.

Why useless?

Simon (55 years old and very happy with my Elite visa)

[gerry1011]

And after one is 50, TE is just useless.

Curious about your comment.

Why useless?

Simon (55 years old and very happy with my Elite visa)

I think that falang07 was just helping to keep this thread alive with yet another useless comment

Edited October 29, 2014 by gerry1011

[DrTuner]

My main gripe with the PE visa offered by TE is that it allows no direct path towards PR/Citizenship. Staying on marriage extensions does.

[ukrules]

loooooove my TE card

I'm finding mine useful too. No more annoying trips out of the country every three months.

No more long haul trips back to europe to get triple entry visas which certain Embassies are increasingly refusing to issue.

Not having to do the European trips alone more than pays for my TE membership fee. I'm saving much more than I spent on this visa.

Nice logic there but did you really need to go to Europe for your visa needs. Mulitple double entrys would have suited you just fine for a lot less. I'm not anti TE at all, I want one, but this is a BS justification. So maybe instead you are just saving time, but money, no way.

I don't really need to do anything but what I do costs money and there are savings to be made based over what I would normally do. In my opinion life is not about 'getting by' by spending as little as possible. To put it bluntly : for me it's all about my convenience, how much effort I have to exert to get what I want. In this case it's about staying within the Thai immigration departments rules and regulations with as little hassle and red tape for me as possible. There are many ways to do this and the way I do it won't be for everyone.

I've been using an assortment of methods to keep myself legal within the immigration regulations in Thailand for the last 5 years or so. Every trip out of the country was a real pain so earlier this year I decided to make things a little easier for myself. This was my plan prior to purchasing my TE Easy Access membership :

+0 months - Fly to Europe. Go to the UK for about a week and pick up a triple entry tourist visa from a consulate. This is in July when it's supposed to be warm.

+3 months - activate entry 2 on the triple entry visa by flying to Phnom Penh - quick turnaround - fly out / back with no overnight stay in Phnom Penh

+6 months - activate entry 3 on the triple entry visa by flying to Phnom Penh - quick turnaround - fly out / back with no overnight stay in Phnom Penh

+9 months - Get a single entry tourist visa from Phnom Penh. Easily done via an agent with 24 hour service. Requires 2 night stop due to late arrival.

I live in Hua Hin so each of the above trips involves me first travelling to Bangkok which takes about 3 hours each way. Normally I would stay in Bangkok for a few nights (4 or 5 nights) on a trip like this and make a long weekend out of it, especially the ones where I'm just activating another entry on a double or triple entry visa. I've been doing this for the last 2 years while living in Hua Hin.

I travel to Phom Penh because it's not far away, if I need to stay there I know the good places to go, the location of the good and reliable visa agent and the flights are regular and mutiple airlines service the route. This way you can make very quick trips (like 1-2 hours transit time if you're lucky) if needed by purchasing one way tickets from different airlines. It might cost more to do it this way but for me this is about my convenience. I don't like the sound of some of the other places in Asia so I'll stick with what I know.

Then I would repeat this ad nauseam over the following years. This is a lot of hassle but I could live with it and it's what I was going to do as there was no other way which could be relied upon over a long period of time. I will never go and stand in line with 500 other people to get a visa - that's where I draw the line.

In about March this year after my previous visa run I told my relatives I was coming to the UK in July for a week but hadn't booked the flight yet. For a run of the mill business class flight you don't need to book way ahead as the prices are kind of static in my experience - they don't fluctuate as much as the economy seats apart from the occasional 'special sale' some airlines have. The flight would cost about 100,000 Baht. Again - this is for my convenience. I place a lot of value on convenience.

Then I heard about the TE Easy Access 5 year membership.

I phoned my relateives, told them I'm not coming - they should book holidays and come to Thailand instead. Some of them are coming here within the next year, my mothers coming for about 7 weeks in December.

So you're right, I didn't have to go to Europe but it suited me at the time and was a solid long term plan which I would have stuck to had I not stumbled across the Easy Access membership and visa scheme.

Now I do nothing, Since June I'm stamped in for 1 year, I've done my first 90 day report and I'll do another in December.

I didn't bother going to the UK and believe me - that trip I cancelled would have cost me more than 150,000 Baht just for the flight and hotel. Multiply this by 5 years and add in the cost of the other tri monthly flights and associated hotel, taxi and other transportation costs and you will find that this visa actually more than pays for itself - it pays for itself entirely in a little over 2 years and that's just in money, never mind the travel time and inconvenience of it all.

I did a rough cost calculation on this over 5 years using the above plan and I believe the travel plan for 5 years would have cost me about 1.25 Million Baht and a huge amount of hassle but I was prepared to do it, I know a few people who do a similar thing and they spend a similar amount if not more on the travel. Some of them go back to Europe or the US multiple times every year. That's definitely not for me.

TE Easy Access costs 500k Baht.

So for me it's a no brainer, I would have spent 1.25 Million on visa related travel over this period, there is no doubt about that. I've been doing something similar in the past for years at a time. This might not be the case for others though. I don't like to travel these days - it's a real pain in the ass, especially flying to Europe. I even considered going to Australia for triple entry visas at one point as you can't get them in Asia, at least a trip 'down under' would be something new for me.

The plan with the European travel and triple entry visas is the only one that I could see as being reliable for 5 years as I know there are various limits on the visas issued at different embassies / consulates and the rules are changing all the time. With this TE visa i my passport now I know I'm good for 5 years. I don't need to leave at all if I don't want to.

So I got the TE Easy Access visa and didn't bother going to Europe, I also didn't do a visa run last month and I won't need to even think about doing another one until 2019.

That's convenience over cost with built in savings.

Edited October 29, 2014 by ukrules

[ubonjoe]

My main gripe with the PE visa offered by TE is that it allows no direct path towards PR/Citizenship. Staying on marriage extensions does.

You can only get citizenship if you have a work permit, working and paying taxes for 3 years to apply and then you must keep working until it is approved.

So not as easy as you make it sound.

[falang07]

And after one is 50, TE is just useless.

Curious about your comment.

Why useless?

Simon (55 years old and very happy with my Elite visa)

I think that falang07 was just helping to keep this thread alive with yet another useless comment

After 50 one can get retirement visa very easy and for peanuts + it is guaranteed. That was my point. And 100k per year can be spent on other things.

[JThai]

My main gripe with the PE visa offered by TE is that it allows no direct path towards PR/Citizenship. Staying on marriage extensions does.

You can only get citizenship if you have a work permit, working and paying taxes for 3 years to apply and then you must keep working until it is approved.

So not as easy as you make it sound.

And who wants to work for Thai wages and work loads for 5-10 years.

[JThai]

loooooove my TE card

I'm finding mine useful too. No more annoying trips out of the country every three months.

No more long haul trips back to europe to get triple entry visas which certain Embassies are increasingly refusing to issue.

Not having to do the European trips alone more than pays for my TE membership fee. I'm saving much more than I spent on this visa.

Nice logic there but did you really need to go to Europe for your visa needs. Mulitple double entrys would have suited you just fine for a lot less. I'm not anti TE at all, I want one, but this is a BS justification. So maybe instead you are just saving time, but money, no way.

I don't really need to do anything but what I do costs money and there are savings to be made based over what I would normally do. In my opinion life is not about 'getting by' by spending as little as possible. To put it bluntly : for me it's all about my convenience, how much effort I have to exert to get what I want. In this case it's about staying within the Thai immigration departments rules and regulations with as little hassle and red tape for me as possible. There are many ways to do this and the way I do it won't be for everyone.

I've been using an assortment of methods to keep myself legal within the immigration regulations in Thailand for the last 5 years or so. Every trip out of the country was a real pain so earlier this year I decided to make things a little easier for myself. This was my plan prior to purchasing my TE Easy Access membership :

+0 months - Fly to Europe. Go to the UK for about a week and pick up a triple entry tourist visa from a consulate. This is in July when it's supposed to be warm.

+3 months - activate entry 2 on the triple entry visa by flying to Phnom Penh - quick turnaround - fly out / back with no overnight stay in Phnom Penh

+6 months - activate entry 3 on the triple entry visa by flying to Phnom Penh - quick turnaround - fly out / back with no overnight stay in Phnom Penh

+9 months - Get a single entry tourist visa from Phnom Penh. Easily done via an agent with 24 hour service. Requires 2 night stop due to late arrival.

I live in Hua Hin so each of the above trips involves me first travelling to Bangkok which takes about 3 hours each way. Normally I would stay in Bangkok for a few nights (4 or 5 nights) on a trip like this and make a long weekend out of it, especially the ones where I'm just activating another entry on a double or triple entry visa. I've been doing this for the last 2 years while living in Hua Hin.

I travel to Phom Penh because it's not far away, if I need to stay there I know the good places to go, the location of the good and reliable visa agent and the flights are regular and mutiple airlines service the route. This way you can make very quick trips (like 1-2 hours transit time if you're lucky) if needed by purchasing one way tickets from different airlines. It might cost more to do it this way but for me this is about my convenience. I don't like the sound of some of the other places in Asia so I'll stick with what I know.

Then I would repeat this ad nauseam over the following years. This is a lot of hassle but I could live with it and it's what I was going to do as there was no other way which could be relied upon over a long period of time. I will never go and stand in line with 500 other people to get a visa - that's where I draw the line.

In about March this year after my previous visa run I told my relatives I was coming to the UK in July for a week but hadn't booked the flight yet. For a run of the mill business class flight you don't need to book way ahead as the prices are kind of static in my experience - they don't fluctuate as much as the economy seats apart from the occasional 'special sale' some airlines have. The flight would cost about 100,000 Baht. Again - this is for my convenience. I place a lot of value on convenience.

Then I heard about the TE Easy Access 5 year membership.

I phoned my relateives, told them I'm not coming - they should book holidays and come to Thailand instead. Some of them are coming here within the next year, my mothers coming for about 7 weeks in December.

So you're right, I didn't have to go to Europe but it suited me at the time and was a solid long term plan which I would have stuck to had I not stumbled across the Easy Access membership and visa scheme.

Now I do nothing, Since June I'm stamped in for 1 year, I've done my first 90 day report and I'll do another in December.

I didn't bother going to the UK and believe me - that trip I cancelled would have cost me more than 150,000 Baht just for the flight and hotel. Multiply this by 5 years and add in the cost of the other tri monthly flights and associated hotel, taxi and other transportation costs and you will find that this visa actually more than pays for itself - it pays for itself entirely in a little over 2 years and that's just in money, never mind the travel time and inconvenience of it all.

I did a rough cost calculation on this over 5 years using the above plan and I believe the travel plan for 5 years would have cost me about 1.25 Million Baht and a huge amount of hassle but I was prepared to do it, I know a few people who do a similar thing and they spend a similar amount if not more on the travel. Some of them go back to Europe or the US multiple times every year. That's definitely not for me.

TE Easy Access costs 500k Baht.

So for me it's a no brainer, I would have spent 1.25 Million on visa related travel over this period, there is no doubt about that. I've been doing something similar in the past for years at a time. This might not be the case for others though. I don't like to travel these days - it's a real pain in the ass, especially flying to Europe. I even considered going to Australia for triple entry visas at one point as you can't get them in Asia, at least a trip 'down under' would be something new for me.

The plan with the European travel and triple entry visas is the only one that I could see as being reliable for 5 years as I know there are various limits on the visas issued at different embassies / consulates and the rules are changing all the time. With this TE visa i my passport now I know I'm good for 5 years. I don't need to leave at all if I don't want to.

So I got the TE Easy Access visa and didn't bother going to Europe, I also didn't do a visa run last month and I won't need to even think about doing another one until 2019.

That's convenience over cost with built in savings.

Still not understanding why you NEEDED to have the triple entry (and this all the long haul expensive trips), despite what you say getting dual entries in LAOS is reported to still be quite easy and not in any danger of going away. I understand it's great, and it saves time and a lot of hassle but it's not a fair comparison because you don't really need to go back to US,UK,AU to accomplish the goals. How old are you btw? Are you eligible for the retirement visa?

I'm glad you had a good reason to get it, I wish I could justify it as a cost saving measure too.

[HidyHo]

And who wants to work for Thai wages and work loads for 5-10 years.

And, how many weeks have you been in Thailand now?

[JThai]

And who wants to work for Thai wages and work loads for 5-10 years.

And, how many weeks have you been in Thailand now?

Long enough to know I make far more in dollars than any Thai company would ever pay me (in particular) doing the same or otherwise. Not to mention being able to do it from home and not 40-60 hours commuting to a Thai office.

Are some people paid decent here? Sure. More or enough to make me change what I do? No way.

Maybe after I "retire" I can get a crappy Thai job to obtain citizenship, or start a Thai business.