JohnnyBKK Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Hello, This is the review of my renewal of my 5 yrs driving license with elite visa. I went to the immigration to ask for the residence certificate, it took 8 whole hours, Elite Staff won't do it for me as they don't include this service even if you can pay for it. Then i had to get a medical certificate from a clinic, yes it's mandatory, if you don't have it, no renewal. Then i had to wait 1 month for my residence certificate to arrive at my condo. Then i went to the DLT at Sukhumvit soi 62. I asked them for renew my driving license and they said it couldn't be done because i didn't have the Non Immigrant visa. They had no clue whatsoever what was an Elite visa. Then a very feminine guy came in speaking in thai thinking i didn't understand saying it was a high so visa for douchebags with a lot of money, saying it costed 3000 baht a week to have VIP service. He then said "tam mai dai" a fez dozen times, i had to call the Thai Elite number and after 1 hour of arguments they agreed to renew for only 2 yrs... then i had to go back home because it was lunch time, i came back and 2 hours later i got the 2 yrs driving license. My thought is that i'm absolutely not feeling like an Elite with this visa at all, the service is inferior than for example a non-b visa, a friend of mine crossed the Cambodia border with his Elite visa and was detained for 1 hour for questioning as the immigration officer didn't know what an Elite visa was, he thought it was a fake sticker. The only thing that is good is the VIP lane at the airport, the free taxi and the 1 yr stamp. But for the rest i would have prefered to have another kind of visa as it's much more hassle. The discounts don't work anywhere, anytime i want to buy something they always say it's already special price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theguyfromanotherforum Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Does your elite visa expire in 2 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyBKK Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 I just bought it, still have 5 years left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedemon Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 If it makes you feel any better, sometimes the DLT won't recognize Permanent Residence either. Some years ago our company sold a car and I signed the transfer documents as a director of the company together with a signed copy of my passport. The messenger came back with the information that they also required copies of my entry stamps into Thailand despite the fact that I could still legally sign for and bind the company even if I was on the moon at the time or had a hundred year overstay. Rather than arguing, I signed and sent those copies too. The messenger came back again saying that they also required a signed copy of every single page of my passport which having just been renewed meant copying and signing about 40 blank pages. They're morons. Put a thousand Baht note together with your application next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tagalong Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 I am very, very happy on what I have just read I often wondered if it was worth the outrageous cost to go to Elite....just to be in the fast lane at the airport.... Typical of Thai officialdom. Make something to sell but, do not let the rest of the (sit on your ass drinking coffee all day departments).. Sorry for Johnny BKK. But you have sure made my mind up in not even wanting to buy a dead horse.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortenaa Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I am very, very happy on what I have just read I often wondered if it was worth the outrageous cost to go to Elite....just to be in the fast lane at the airport.... Typical of Thai officialdom. Make something to sell but, do not let the rest of the (sit on your ass drinking coffee all day departments).. Sorry for Johnny BKK. But you have sure made my mind up in not even wanting to buy a dead horse.... 100K a year for a worry free Visa and peace of mind is not outrageous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 (edited) I am very, very happy on what I have just read I often wondered if it was worth the outrageous cost to go to Elite....just to be in the fast lane at the airport.... Typical of Thai officialdom. Make something to sell but, do not let the rest of the (sit on your ass drinking coffee all day departments).. Sorry for Johnny BKK. But you have sure made my mind up in not even wanting to buy a dead horse.... 100K a year for a worry free Visa and peace of mind is not outrageous. Same cost for a worry free non-O and 3 or 4 nice holidays a year for me and SWMBO for 17 months is also a good deal.Which car of three to use each is the only hassle. ( PS. All 3 in my name ) Edit. Forgot about the motorbike. Edited May 14, 2016 by overherebc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionsreplies Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 just dont go to stupid bangkok Dlt and immigration, i did the same thing in pattaya in less than 2 hours, but i dont luve in pattaya... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLover Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 just dont go to stupid bangkok Dlt and immigration, i did the same thing in pattaya in less than 2 hours, but i dont luve in pattaya... You may be the only human that doesn't luve in Pattaya. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dipterocarp Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 In Chiang Mai there is a report of issuing a 5 year license to elite/PE Visa Holder. I am a PE visa holder and will be trying to renew my 2 year licenses, there in Chiang Mai, to 5 year next month. Fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dipterocarp Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Success! Less than 90 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert24 Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 Thailand Elite should have helped you better. You can get the residence certificate from your embassy mailed to your home address. For my embassy it took less than a week from request. Medical certificate you can get from every clinic for 80-100 baht within 5 min. Then go to any DLT in Thailand and it may take 2 hours or so to get it done. Sent from my SM-J710F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 I too am wondering about this. I'm holding the S.E. Visa from Thai Elite (renewable every 5 years - Original Member, Life time for 1 MB). My 5 year DL will need to be renewed in November. I'm hoping to receive a 5 year renewal rather than a 2 year. To avoid headache I will obviously have to clarify exactly which DL I am permitted (5 or 2 year) before applying for the renewal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLover Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 On 6/24/2017 at 11:27 AM, richard_smith237 said: I too am wondering about this. I'm holding the S.E. Visa from Thai Elite (renewable every 5 years - Original Member, Life time for 1 MB). My 5 year DL will need to be renewed in November. I'm hoping to receive a 5 year renewal rather than a 2 year. To avoid headache I will obviously have to clarify exactly which DL I am permitted (5 or 2 year) before applying for the renewal. As of last week, holders of TE special visa receive a 2 year license. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullcave Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 On 5/12/2016 at 7:49 PM, mortenaa said: 100K a year for a worry free Visa and peace of mind is not outrageous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giddyup Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 On 5/12/2016 at 7:49 PM, mortenaa said: 100K a year for a worry free Visa and peace of mind is not outrageous. Neither is 1900 baht a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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