How long has this bickering been going on!!! A 5 year visa plus a few perks for 500k is a great option if you have it, and don't mind spending it. A retirement visa a few K per year and a few more visits to immigration is IMO a good option. To me it looks a lot like sour grapes when I see people hammering the Elite visa. IMO if you've reached retirement age and don't have 500k to "waste" then you haven't exactly been a great success. Make your choice, get your preferred visa and leave the other guys alone. Neither visa is a bad choice.

Common sense.

I do agree.

What is 4 times a year? One extension and 90 day reporting?

90+90+90+ extension= lawyer or lawyers staff going to immigration at least 4 times a year.

Can I ask? What is the lawyer's fee for doing this?

I wish I could go for the 500,000 Baht Elite Card... versus the 800.000 in a cash account. And for those who do not have to blink an eye to pay the 500,000 ... the future value of money certainly comes into play... What person with money wants to tie up 800,000 Baht in a low or no interest bearing cash account? .... When it could be kept in other better yielding investments that are not subject to review of Thai Immigration...

In later age those who have disposable income and use it as they please - good on them - for being smart, wise or just lucky. You know guys - as the old saying goes -- 'You can't take it with you'. And who wants to leave it to the generation of sullen - unruly and unappreciative younger set?

I personally like the idea of the 5 year Elite Visa. It definitely seems more convenient than my other retirement options. Yes it costs more, but it seems to be easier to travel in and out of the country repeatedly as I travel around. I would not be putting 800,000 on deposit. My money is better utilized staying invested. So my coin flip is doing the income verification method for retirement which I fully qualify for, or getting the 5 year elite visa. Over time, the price of the 5 year elite visa is measurable if I shell out 500k baht every 5 years. Just an academic issue at the moment since I am still working.

You get to keep the 800,000 baht right..seasoned for a time?

Elite visa would be nice if it was just proof of funds and was then returned, then re-deposited..

unreal..but as I have an offer to liquidate my off grid land in Hawaii,

I'll be happy to make the retirement deposit..

I had everything in Thailand, electricity, hot water..internet..

555

I wonder if (perhaps) Gerry can clarify the conditions for upgrading from Easy Access membership (5 years) to full individual membership (20 years)?

The Thailand Elite website says that the upgrade fee is 1,500,000 baht, as opposed to the full cost of 2 million baht for individual membership.

Does that mean that I can use my Elite membership/visa until my 5 years are up and then upgrade to individual membership of 20 years for 1.5 million baht? (I can't believe that Thailand Elite would be so generous as to give me a 500,000 baht discount as a satisfied customer....)

Indeed.

Once you arrive to the end of your current Easy Access membership, you have the choice.

Upgrade to the full membership, by paying the remaining part of the fee (1,5 million), or (in the case such an offer still exists by that time), take another 5 years membership.

If you upgrade to the full membership, there will be 15 years left.

Another solution is to buy a brand new full membership for 2 million, of course. In that case you have the new membership for 20 years.

A last solution would be to go back to the ED, Tourist, and that kind of visas... But I am pretty sure that you would not want that one

If you can afford a Thai Elite, you can easily afford to put the required 800,000 in a bank and get a retirement visa.

The question is .. how old is the OP ???

I could see a person 45 buying a 5 year, and then going retirement visa....easily.

BTW, if you truly research an Elite Payment schedule, you will discover that (4) 5 years is less expensive than one 20 year until you fully exploit all the golf packages...etc. Plus the fact, the 20 year has fess the 5 year does not.

Why would anyone commit to a 20 year, when they could achieve the same goal incrementally, I will never understand.

Perhaps they do not (nor the seller, Thai Elite) ... understand the future value of money and the opportunity cost of tying up 1,500,000 when it is not required.

The easy access 500k option does not include the golf / spa freebies. It does include airport transfers, airport assistance and VIP lane, govt services assistance, and various discounts at program member spas, courses, and restaurant discounts.

Edited August 5, 201510 yr by arunsakda