Thai elite card or other options

[traveler83]

Hello everyone,

I got 2 questions for those who got some experience with this

1) I would like to ask you for advice on how to stay permanenently in Thailand. Im 32 yrs old, i work online so i dont need to get employed so therefore based on my research to stay in thailand for 10 years only options is thailand elite card. Do you suggest me to take it? Or is there any better option. Money is not a problem.

2) how about countries around thailand. I saw Malayasia is offering MM2H program but i saw that many people criticize it....

How about cambodia, vietnam, laos.....do they offer something similar?

I would like to stay in thailand offcourse but if thats not an option what do you suggest me.

[nzexpat]

You have very few options! Near zero and Nil if you exclude the Elite option.

As an adult you must make your own decisions !

[traveler83]

Thx for your reply. I hope that someone on forum with more experience can provide some more usefull information. Especially those who already got either thailand elite card or malaysian MM2H visa.

Any advices are welcome

[Mario2008]

You do not have a valid reason to stay in Thailand for 10 year, so indeed only the Elite program would suit you. Another option is doing a university study in Thailand.

[elviajero]

The elite option is the only one that will allow you to stay in Thailand for that long without hassle. It's expensive but convenient. If affordable it's probably your best option.

Tourist visas are cheap but inconvenient, require a border run every 2 - 3 months and need to be renewed frequently. Proof of income from abroad may eventually be required, if you have many tourist visas, to prove you are not working.

Please note that you cannot work, paid or not, in Thailand without a work permit. Even work online for yourself or a foreign company/business is illegal without a work permit, which you would not be able to get without forming a Thai company, which isn't straightforward and often impractical. I believe expats working online and at home do not disclose what they do to the authorities.

Unfortunately your age is against you. Thailand doesn't make it easy to settle here unless you're legally working, married, over 50 or prepared to pay through the nose.

Sorry I can't help with neighbouring countries. Although I understand most are more accommodating than Thailand.

[gerry1011]

Both Thailand Elite and MM2H are very good programs. But different programs.

Without going into details, the main difference is this:

With Thailand Elite you buy a service (500,000 to 2 million depending on the length of your membership), and you get a very convenient long term visa.

But if you work on such a visa without a work permit you still break the law and, eventually, will be caught.

With MM2H, you don't buy a service. You basically bring the equivalent of 5 million baht in Malaysia, and this gives you the right to receive a long term visa.

On such a visa all money you make abroad and bring into Malaysia is not taxable.

There are more details, of course.

But, to me, the MM2H is a more suitable program for your case.

Edited April 29, 2015 by gerry1011

[Davedub]

But TiT, nothing is ever 100% clear - Thai immigration have, in the recent past, categorically given the go ahead to digital nomads working here on a tourist visa. See here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/753621-digital-nomad-online-workers-permission/

Confused? Welcome to Thailand!

[kkup]

Go elite or find a wife.

The only way you will get caught working online here is if someone dobs you in. Careful how much personal info you give on this forum, there are a few guys that act like they work for immigration.

[kovaltech]

Go elite or find a wife.

The only way you will get caught working online here is if someone dobs you in. Careful how much personal info you give on this forum, there are a few guys that act like they work for immigration.

yeah,... i get paid per tip off... btw do i need a work permit for that ?

[Docno]

Thx for your reply. I hope that someone on forum with more experience can provide some more usefull information. Especially those who already got either thailand elite card or malaysian MM2H visa.

Any advices are welcome

You need to understand that a lot of us are resentful of any young bloke coming aboard - after all, you may monopolise all the young pretty things that would otherwise fall for our plentiful charms. [seriously, I do remember a poster some time back telling a younger guy to keep away and not ruin his paradise because he had yet to pay his dues].

[Raaraab]

Both Thailand Elite and MM2H are very good programs. But different programs.

Without going into details, the main difference is this:

With Thailand Elite you buy a service (500,000 to 2 million depending on the length of your membership), and you get a very convenient long term visa.

But if you work on such a visa without a work permit you still break the law and, eventually, will be caught.

With MM2H, you don't buy a service. You basically bring the equivalent of 5 million baht in Malaysia, and this gives you the right to receive a long term visa.

On such a visa all money you make abroad and bring into Malaysia is not taxable.

There are more details, of course.

But, to me, the MM2H is a more suitable program for your case.

Thailand is a beautiful Country but in the OPs situation unless he has an 'emotional' reason to stay in Thailand I agree that MM2H is the better option. Some pros for Malaysia include language ease, the ability to own landed property using part of your eligibility funds etc. There are some very Expat friendly, liveable localities including Mallaca, Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu.

[gerry1011]

Both Thailand Elite and MM2H are very good programs. But different programs.

Without going into details, the main difference is this:

With Thailand Elite you buy a service (500,000 to 2 million depending on the length of your membership), and you get a very convenient long term visa.

But if you work on such a visa without a work permit you still break the law and, eventually, will be caught.

With MM2H, you don't buy a service. You basically bring the equivalent of 5 million baht in Malaysia, and this gives you the right to receive a long term visa.

On such a visa all money you make abroad and bring into Malaysia is not taxable.

There are more details, of course.

But, to me, the MM2H is a more suitable program for your case.

Thailand is a beautiful Country but in the OPs situation unless he has an 'emotional' reason to stay in Thailand I agree that MM2H is the better option. Some pros for Malaysia include language ease, the ability to own landed property using part of your eligibility funds etc. There are some very Expat friendly, liveable localities including Mallaca, Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu.

Don't forget Penang. Nice place to live too

[zaupino]

What about Philippines? SRRV option is good too and not expensive. Nice country, nice people

[matseng]

I've got a Thai WP and a non-imm B, and also a MM2H. The last two years I've spent my time 50/50 between KL and BKK, before that I stayed for 4 years in KL.

I'm not sure what complaints about the MM2H you've heard, but for me it was an easy choice, and I encountered no issues during the application. It was just a simple form and a cover letter, then a wait for 2-3 month while they "processed" it. When I got the approval I had to deposit 300 000 Ringgits (about 3 million Baht) into a fixed deposit account on lien, get a medical exam and insurance. Done and done.

I didn't care about the perks like importing a car tax free or getting a maid with less red tape.

Penang is a really nice place, the tech/it community is growing there, but KL is of course a better place for IT, and there are some nice beaches - something that is hard to find on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia.

My wife and I are toying with the idea of moving up from KL into a smaller house in Penang since we like a change of scenery and now when living partly in BKK we don't need a 3000 sq.ft house.

If we compare Malaysia and Thailand in general we both enjoy Malaysia more. But we're married middle aged, so we don't really care about the availability (or lack thereof) of cheap booze and prostitutes. What we do enjoy is that almost everyone in the cities, even oooold people, speaks good english. In the countryside they usually know enough to have a simple conversation. People in Malaysia are generally more friendly and don't try to cheat you all the time - no "thainess" here :-)

[matseng]

...continued... But the main reason of selecting Malaysia was that back in 2009 when my stint in Dubai was over my wife and I wanted to just relax in SE Asia for a few years, so we looked into all available options for staying for a longer period legally.

At that time the only places with a longer term visa (or a relatively hassle-free 1 year visa) in the region ended up being Malaysia and Philippines. We ended up with Malaysia because the better visa option, better food and fewer typhoons.

[bob4you]

Do MM2H then do frequent tourist visa runs to Thailand, best of both worlds.

[sometimewoodworker]

What about Philippines? SRRV option is good too and not expensive. Nice country, nice people

The individual people may well be nice, I've known quite a few who are, but a more dangerous and dirty country is difficult to find in this region.

[IMA_FARANG]

But TiT, nothing is ever 100% clear - Thai immigration have, in the recent past, categorically given the go ahead to digital nomads working here on a tourist visa. See here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/753621-digital-nomad-online-workers-permission/

Confused? Welcome to Thailand!

---------------------------------

No, that is incorrect.

Someone who did not now the reality of the law and was assumed to be an authority, gave incorrect information, and those who didn't understand his answer interpreted it the way they wished it to sound.

Although it is illegal to work on-line in Thailand for a foreigner without a work permit, in fact, the logistics of finding and prosecuting such people is practically unworkable, the law is seldom enforced and prosecuted..... but the law is still on the books and valid.

As a foreigner with a "on line business" from a Thai address you are sill illegally working... but the reality is that you are likely to be prosecuted for that activity.

And it is so silly, because merely allowing it to be done legally for a small annual fee, would be a win-win game for both the Thai government and the foreigner involved.

But, nowhere in the world are governments and their "laws" really rational and logical.

[BritTim]

While some services are not as well developed as in Thailand or Malaysia, it is worth mentioning that Cambodia in a really easy country to stay long term. Basically, US$400 per year gets you multiple entry business visas with no work restrictions.

[IMA_FARANG]

Do MM2H then do frequent tourist visa runs to Thailand, best of both worlds.

--------------------------

Yes if you choose to ignore the problems with Malaysia and the erosion of your civil liberties and the increasing Islamic nature of much of Malaysia.

I agree Penang would be my choice to live if I could come up with the funds to buy into Malaysia, but I can't.

And ,quite frankly, I wouldn't put 500K Baht into a Thai elite card, because I am not sure that in 5 years , much less 10 years, the program will still exist, nor quite possibly the current Thai government.

Either way you throw the dice.... and hope you don't come up Craps.

I consider both Thailand and Malaysia examples of what I call Ben Dover future planning.

You know the joke..... just Ben Dover and drop your Jeans and say, "I believe in fairies".

Ben Dover.

Edited April 30, 2015 by IMA_FARANG

[HerbalEd]

If the cost is not a problem for you and you can easily afford it, I say definitely get a Thai Elite Visa. After many years of traveling to, and living in, Thailand on very many multiple-entry tourist visas, 30-day, visa-exempt stamps, countless extensions, over stays, border runs, and way too many hours of waiting in queues, etc. I recently obtained a Thai Elite Visa and I am very happy I did. I now have maximum flexibility with very little effort.

Also I love the home-to-airport and then airport-to-home limo, and upon arriving in BKK the personal assistance from plane-side to the expedited rapid immigration, to baggage pick-up, and finally to the awaiting limo that takes me to my BKK condo.

[keithathome]

Not wishing to sound Islamaphobic but both Malaysia and the Philipines are both quite hard core Isalmic states are they not ? Would you be very comfortable having to observe all their laws ? Limited booze, no bacon butties etc, and now some hardliners are slating smoking as being un-Islamic 'cos it harms the body.

[mahtin]

What opportunities online are open to those challenged both by spelling and grammar?

No offence, but I'd like to get rich quick.

[flyingdoc]

Matseng makes some sensible comments !

[matseng]

Not wishing to sound Islamaphobic but both Malaysia and the Philipines are both quite hard core Isalmic states are they not ? Would you be very comfortable having to observe all their laws ? Limited booze, no bacon butties etc, and now some hardliners are slating smoking as being un-Islamic 'cos it harms the body.

Before I moved to Dubai back in 2006 I had the same feelings - but today I frankly don't care whether I live in a Islamic country or not, or whether my neighbors are Muslims or Buddhists or Christian.

In Dubai (which is the most western and least "hardcore" Islamic of the 7 emirates in UAE) all restaurants was closed daytime during Ramadan, you would get fined or put in jail if you even drank water inside your own car. But they had pork in the non-halal sections of almost all supermakets and all higher-end hotels had bars and nightclubs with plenty of booze.

In all of Malaysia (except a few stricter states in the north-east) you don't even notice that it is Ramadan except for all decorations in the stores and that all restaurants gets completely jam packed after sunset when the muslims is breaking the fast. Daytime all restaurants are open as usual, non-muslims are completely free to eat drink and smoke in front of muslims. I was almost disappointed because the nightly parties during Ramadan in Dubai was really nice.

Here in Malaysia most supermarkets, both small run mostly by Indians/Pakistani guys and the bigger like Tesco and Carrefour have both liquor and pork and many restaurants serve pork as well. Bigger shopping mall have plenty of bars and nightclubs.

So unless you actively seek to find problems with living in a Islamic country like Malaysia you can be perfectly happy here.

And the Philippines are a predominantly Catholic country I believe - at least in the northern areas.

[traveler83]

Thx to everyone for your answers. I didnt know that there is a programe in Philiphines as well.

Also thx to the poster who compared malaysia and thailand. Ive been to thailand about 10 times but never before to malaysia so im interested to hear such comparisons.

Someone even mentioned that you can easily obtain business visa in Cambodia. How about permanent stay overthere? Do they provide some "hussle-free" programme?

[traveler83]

Damn....the Philiphines long term stay program is only available for those over 35. Im 32 so i guess i cant apply.

[Robert24]

Not wishing to sound Islamaphobic but both Malaysia and the Philipines are both quite hard core Isalmic states are they not ? Would you be very comfortable having to observe all their laws ? Limited booze, no bacon butties etc, and now some hardliners are slating smoking as being un-Islamic 'cos it harms the body.

Last time I was in the Philippines, I thought they were mainly Christian, actually catholic if I'm not wrong.....

[PeCeDe]

Several people here have mentioned the Philippines as a choice. "What about Philippines? SRRV option is good too and not expensive. Nice country, nice people"

I wouldn't choose the Philippines as my first or last choice, in fact it wouldn't be my choice at all, yes they are completely Roman Catholic and generally nice people, there are some Islamic folk living there in relative piece and they keep themselves to themselves, however down south in Mindanao it's a different story with Islamic incursions of similar ferocity to southern Thailand, there are areas of Mindanao that are absolute no-go's for White Anglo's, the chances of being kidnapped or killed are just too high. Corruption is much worse (IMO) than here, with bus loads of political party enthusiasts or reporters being stopped, off-loaded then everyone shot because they opposed the local mayor. I did some volunteer work in the Manila "squats" (like Barrios) and they use the canals that run through them as toilets and garbage dumps, when there's a heavy typhoon all the effluent floods out into the streets sometimes 2 to 3 feet high, together with snakes and whatever else lurks in those disgusting waters, my heart bleeds for them, but I could not live there knowing what was going on just a few miles away. If you can live with it there's some very nice areas in Manila and surroundings. The Visaya's are nice too, if you choose the Phil. go north as far as you can go, and take an umbrella, they have something like 23 typhoons a year. Good luck with your choice.

[BritTim]

Thx to everyone for your answers. I didnt know that there is a programe in Philiphines as well.

Also thx to the poster who compared malaysia and thailand. Ive been to thailand about 10 times but never before to malaysia so im interested to hear such comparisons.

Someone even mentioned that you can easily obtain business visa in Cambodia. How about permanent stay overthere? Do they provide some "hussle-free" programme?

Someone even mentioned that you can easily obtain business visa in Cambodia. How about permanent stay overthere? Do they provide some "hussle-free" programme?

You apply for a business visa and a one year extension. The extension can be done by an agent without even needing to visit immigration. Once you pay the approximately US$400 price, you just move in and out of Cambodia as you please until it is time to get the next one year extension. No one cares whether you are working or not.