Thailand Elite one year extension without leaving the country

[ukrules]

Well I think it is a good visa if you are under 50 and can not get a retirement visa. Also many below 50 get a Ed visa which cost them around 25000 a year and probably have to leave the country and go their own country to renew the visa. So how much more they spend on travelling have not idea. But on the whole I think it become much less than the VIP visa.

You should tell us what other benefits this card has.

The main benefit of the Easy Access membership (the one I have) is the 5 year visa and one year stamps, everything else (limo service and immigration fast track) is mere window dressing to me as I don't do much, if any international travel these days.

Ed visas require continuous study in a classroom, from what I've heard you need to go four times a week to learn something which may or may not be useful to you.

[Sharp]

Agreed ukrules... Basically it's a small price to pay for an easy trouble free stay in Thailand... Now some may say it's a waste of money but for some of us in a financial position that considers it a small expense I believe aren't in the habit of wasting money but rather enjoying the freedom to choose the easy route that our hard earned wealth now gives us. The benefits are nice but I would guess most of the TE members are in it for the visa alone.

[inwardglee]

I have read through all above statements, and have not understood yet one question: Can this 5-year Elite visa be renewed after five years, or would it then need to be a 15-year visa for 1.5 Mio. THB?

[ubonjoe]

I have read through all above statements, and have not understood yet one question: Can this 5-year Elite visa be renewed after five years, or would it then need to be a 15-year visa for 1.5 Mio. THB?

You could get another 5 year easy access membership at the end of 5 years that would allow another 5 year visa to be issued. If there is no change in membership fees it would be 500k baht.

[elgenon]

Agreed ukrules... Basically it's a small price to pay for an easy trouble free stay in Thailand... Now some may say it's a waste of money but for some of us in a financial position that considers it a small expense I believe aren't in the habit of wasting money but rather enjoying the freedom to choose the easy route that our hard earned wealth now gives us. The benefits are nice but I would guess most of the TE members are in it for the visa alone.

So well written. Calm and magnanimous.

[elgenon]

Just to be perfectly clear, do you need to report every 90 days w a TE Easy Access?

Yes, of course you do, every foreigner in Thailand does this. If you're in Bangkok there's a TE service where they will do it for you but it still gets done every 90 days.

If you enter Thailand on any kind of visa and are staying longer than 90 days then you or someone operating on your behalf needs to do a 90 day report or there will be a fine.

Not true! You can enter on a 60 day multiple entry and stay longer than 90 days without reporting.

[gerry1011]

I have read through all above statements, and have not understood yet one question: Can this 5-year Elite visa be renewed after five years, or would it then need to be a 15-year visa for 1.5 Mio. THB?

If you take an Easy Access Membership, at 500,000 baht, there are two things you can do at the end of your membership:

1) You upgrade to a "full membership" by paying an extra 1,5 million. In that case you will have 15 more years of easy entry in Thailand (3 times a 5 years visa). The opportunity to upgrade is part of the Easy Access offer.

2) if you don't want to upgrade to the full membership, you can buy another Easy Access membership and get another 5 years visa. Of course, nothing guaranties that the price of the Easy Access membership will still be the same by that time...

[JB300]

Just to be perfectly clear, do you need to report every 90 days w a TE Easy Access?

Yes, of course you do, every foreigner in Thailand does this. If you're in Bangkok there's a TE service where they will do it for you but it still gets done every 90 days.

If you enter Thailand on any kind of visa and are staying longer than 90 days then you or someone operating on your behalf needs to do a 90 day report or there will be a fine.

Not true! You can enter on a 60 day multiple entry and stay longer than 90 days without reporting.

How exactly??? Since every other Visa class needs to report at (the latest) 90 days?

[ubonjoe]

Just to be perfectly clear, do you need to report every 90 days w a TE Easy Access?

Yes, of course you do, every foreigner in Thailand does this. If you're in Bangkok there's a TE service where they will do it for you but it still gets done every 90 days.

If you enter Thailand on any kind of visa and are staying longer than 90 days then you or someone operating on your behalf needs to do a 90 day report or there will be a fine.

Not true! You can enter on a 60 day multiple entry and stay longer than 90 days without reporting.

How exactly??? Since every other Visa class needs to report at (the latest) 90 days?

You only need to do reports of staying longer than 90 days if you stay her longer than that. It is 90 consecutive days not a total of 90 days. Most visas only a allow a max stay of 90 days.

[Sharp]

Agreed ukrules... Basically it's a small price to pay for an easy trouble free stay in Thailand... Now some may say it's a waste of money but for some of us in a financial position that considers it a small expense I believe aren't in the habit of wasting money but rather enjoying the freedom to choose the easy route that our hard earned wealth now gives us. The benefits are nice but I would guess most of the TE members are in it for the visa alone.

So well written. Calm and magnanimous.

Thanku!

[gerry1011]

Agreed ukrules... Basically it's a small price to pay for an easy trouble free stay in Thailand... Now some may say it's a waste of money but for some of us in a financial position that considers it a small expense I believe aren't in the habit of wasting money but rather enjoying the freedom to choose the easy route that our hard earned wealth now gives us. The benefits are nice but I would guess most of the TE members are in it for the visa alone.

Wealth indeed provides opportunities to enjoy more choices and more freedom.

Thailand Elite is about freedom.

Freedom of entering and leaving when you want, freedom of staying as long as you want, etc...

Actually, for such a freedom, it is, as you say, a small price to pay.

But how can you argue about that with people who believe that half a million (baht) (!) is a fortune, or those who feel robbed when they are overcharged 10 baht on a local beer bottle?

I do also agree with you that most farang members are in it for the visa alone.

But Asian members, with other interests, are heavy users of the Airport assistance and the Golf privileges. The Asians are the majority of the members, which is something few seem to know.

As for me, ... I would pay even more just for the visa

Edited June 13, 2015 by gerry1011

[elgenon]

Is there also a 20,000 Baht + VAT annual fee? Plus there is a VAT on the membership?

[ubonjoe]

Is there also a 20,000 Baht + VAT annual fee? Plus there is a VAT on the membership?

Not for the easy access membership. The 500k baht includes VAT.