Elite Card

[simon43]

Some of us on this forum (well me actually..), are considering the Elite Card as a better means of staying in Thailand, when compared to B,O visas etc. (Everyone has different circumstances etc)

But I'm not clear if the 5-year visa provided by this card allows one to apply for - and be granted - a WP for working in one's own Thai company. The Thailand-Elite sales guy wasn't too good at telling me the answer in his email. He said that you need both a B visa AND an Elite card!

Does anyone know if you are allowed to work using the TE visa?

Also, how does this visa stand re PR? I know that if you get PR, you have to stop your Elite card. But does time spent in Thailand using an EC count towards PR? Or is it like my B visa which counts for zilch, (because I happen to leave the country every few months to visit my UK family).

Any advice mucho appreciated!

Simon

PS - Please don't tell me how bad this card is! It seems just as stable as all the other visa classes

[Firefan]

When I asked them they confirmed that you can get work permit on the E-visa. They even mention that they will assist with that.

They changed from calling it a "5 year tourist visa" a while ago for that main reason. The potential buyers typically already lived and worked here for good companies and would therefore already HAVE B visa+WP and they realized that they could then not SELL to this main group!

As for PR I am guessing it would be a plus and possible. Cheers!

[Noel]

PS - Please don't tell me how bad this card is! It seems just as stable as all the other visa classes

Probably true, although I very much doubt most people dopey enough to buy one did so for visa related reasons.

However, many of those who have bought one and had them welded to their forehead, think they were a snip!

Perhaps they fail to appreciate that their money is long gone and they were sold a pup.

As to anyone contemplating buying one in this current climate, the merits of birth control and euthanasia spring to mind...

[simon43]

Firefan, thanks for your input. Did you buy an EC? If so/if not, what were your reasons, experienced etc?

Noel - One reason for buying the EC is that it will enable me to stay in ?LoS relatively hassle-free until I reach 50 years old (in 4 years). Then I can always get a retirement visa.

My understanding from others who have the EC is that they are reasonably happy with it.

In Thailand, money talks!! That has been made very clear to me time and time again. It has also been made very clear to me that Thailand is all about take and never about give.

Well, this might be one time when my money actually buys me something that gives me a recognisable benefit. Everyone to their own:)

Simon

[Noel]

Noel - One reason for buying the EC is that it will enable me to stay in ?LoS relatively hassle-free until I reach 50 years old (in 4 years). Then I can always get a retirement visa.

Simon

It might be a different story if you could be sure of that, but have you forgotten whose initiative the Elite Card was?

The whole scheme could be scrapped at any moment, for reasons other than it failed.

I do understand that you are caught in the age trap, and believe me when I tell you that I do sincerely empathize.

Let's hope that commonsense will eventually prevail, but...

[simon43]

Well, the EC was Taksin's idea. But so was the 30 baht hospital scheme and countless other schemes which the new government have stated they will not 'cancel'.

This new government might not like Taksin (), but they are not going to dismantle all the schemes and organisations etc that he has set up.

Besides, remember who are the major buyers of the EC. Not us westerners. It is the rich Asians, the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who all love to play golf

I don't think the new government is going to scrap a scheme which benefits their rich Asian friends, do you?

I've realised (after 4 years in LoS), that you can never 'belong' in LoS if you are a westerner. You will always be an outsider. You may, like me, be married, have a family and be treated by your Thai friends as a Thai person. But the goverment and any organisation or official 'body' will just see you as a 'farang'.

The only way (it seems to me), to achieve any form of recognition by these bodies, is to take it down to the level that they understand. That means appearance, money, who you know, how much you give to charities, whether you wear a yellow shirt on Mondays etc etc.

Trying to do it the western way just doesn't seem to work

Simon

Simon

Edited October 3, 2006 by simon43

[lapamita]

DONT BUY IT, AFTER YOU PUT GOOD MONEY MORE ON A BAD GAME

YOU HAVE N GARANTEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JUST READ THE DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER ANY BENEFITS OR RIGHTS COULD BE CANNCELED AT ANY TIME WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE

MEAN NOTHING ELSE THAN, THAT YOU PAY, BUT YOU HAVE ONLY AS LONG THEY WANT

FORGET TO BUY SOMETHING UNDER THSI CONDITION

[simon43]

Lapamita - if I applied your rule in Thailand, then I would buy nothing!! If I buy shoddy goods in a shop, then I'm stuck with them. If I have a medical operation that goes wrong, then tough luck! If I witness a car accident then I am to blame, (unless I speedily leave the scene).

The list is endless! So risking another 1 million baht seems fine to me

Simon

PS - PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE SWITCH YOUR BLOODY CAPITAL LETTERS OFF!!!!!!

[Noel]

Well, the EC was Taksin's idea. But so was the 30 baht hospital scheme and countless other schemes which the new government have stated they will not 'cancel'.

Besides, remember who are the major buyers of the EC. Not us westerners. It is the rich Asians, the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who all love to play golf

I don't think the new government is going to scrap a scheme which benefits their rich Asian friends, do you?

Simon

The 30 Baht hospital scheme actually worked, notwithstanding the fact that it was a vote buyer.

Any 'rich Asian friends' (Thaksin's of course) of any percieved value would not have paid for their Elite cards, they would have been given them. Som nam na to the rest...

The new regime could scrap it in a heartbeat, especially as running the scheme doubtless loses money...

[sriracha john]

Well, the EC was Taksin's idea. But so was the 30 baht hospital scheme and countless other schemes which the new government have stated they will not 'cancel'.

The 30 baht health care scheme was never Thaksin's idea, he only claimed the credit for it. Additionally, he was the one threatening that it would stop if TRT wasn't re-elected, which is a lie. It's continuing regardless of whatever political party is in control.

This new government might not like Taksin (), but they are not going to dismantle all the schemes and organisations etc that he has set up.

Why not? The ones he truly is responsible for are bloated and corrupt policies. I would well imagine that the new government would go over all the programs up for funding and scrutinize severely the ones that are losing money, like the Thai Elite Card.

Besides, remember who are the major buyers of the EC. Not us westerners. It is the rich Asians, the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who all love to play golf

I don't think the new government is going to scrap a scheme which benefits their rich Asian friends, do you?

If it's losing as much money as Thai Elite is and is associated with a disgraced and tossed out leader, then I would say yes... there's a stong likelihood that it will be scraped.

I've realised (after 4 years in LoS), that you can never 'belong' in LoS if you are a westerner. You will always be an outsider. You may, like me, be married, have a family and be treated by your Thai friends as a Thai person. But the goverment and any organisation or official 'body' will just see you as a 'farang'.

The only way (it seems to me), to achieve any form of recognition by these bodies, is to take it down to the level that they understand. That means appearance, money, who you know, how much you give to charities, whether you wear a yellow shirt on Mondays etc etc.

Trying to do it the western way just doesn't seem to work

Simon

Simon

Hope the historical realities can prove helpful.

[ovenman]

Besides, remember who are the major buyers of the EC. Not us westerners. It is the rich Asians, the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who all love to play golf

I don't think the new government is going to scrap a scheme which benefits their rich Asian friends, do you?

With less than 2000 cards sold in over five years, I don't think that there are any major buyers of the Elite Card. I'd say the chances are pretty good for the Elite Card program to get scrapped or at the very least, suspend any parts of the program that cost the government actual money to administer. That said, the five-year visa might be one aspect of the program that hangs on simply because it's a gesture of goodwill that doesn't really cost the authorities anything to retain.