dbrenn Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 (edited) In Bangkok a taxi to the city is less than 300 baht. What is your reference point using 1000 baht?Ermmm....You won't get a Chauffeur driven BMW 7 series Limo with the driver waiting in arrivals to take you anywhere in the City and not driving like a mad man for 300bt How many people without a Thai elite would pay for this? My guess is less than .05% of the people leaving the airport.People obviously do. There are enough Limousines running around Bangkok 24/7 with clients that want to travel that way, and they are not all TE members. Not everybody wants to have a row about putting the meter on and who is going to pay the Toll road fees.TE members enjoy making one simple phone call or send an email and the TE staff and Limo driver does the rest. We don't even need to collect our Luggage, that is also taken care of while we enjoy a cold refreshing drink I'm one of those people. After a long flight, the AOT limousine service is so much better than having to deal with rude kamikaze cheating taxi drivers. Edited July 30, 2016 by ubonjoe fixed quoting error by removing the excess only 4 are allowed 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackThompson Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Bubba1: In Bangkok a taxi to the city is less than 300 baht. What is your reference point using 1000 baht? Ermmm....You won't get a Chauffeur driven BMW 7 series Limo with the driver waiting in arrivals to take you anywhere in the City and not driving like a mad man for 300bt How many people without a Thai elite would pay for this? My guess is less than .05% of the people leaving the airport.People obviously do. There are enough Limousines running around Bangkok 24/7 with clients that want to travel that way, and they are not all TE members. Not everybody wants to have a row about putting the meter on and who is going to pay the Toll road fees.TE members enjoy making one simple phone call or send an email and the TE staff and Limo driver does the rest. We don't even need to collect our Luggage, that is also taken care of while we enjoy a cold refreshing drink I'm one of those people. After a long flight, the AOT limousine service is so much better than having to deal with rude kamikaze cheating taxi drivers. The bus drivers from Don Muang to the nearest Skytrain seem to drive well. I forget the cost - literally pocket-change. It was air-con, and I was lisitening on headphones to the same thing I would have been listening to in a different vehicle, so I don't think I noticed the difference. I usually have only a carry-on bag, since my "stuff" is already in my condo, but if I was in "country-swap" mode, a taxi would be in order. I guess I always had good luck with taxis in Bangkok - polite, no stress or issues with billing. Either 'make a deal' or 'use the meter' - familiar to those who have spent time in countries where this is the norm. "You pay expressway?" Sure - no problem - guys are working a stressful job for not a lot of money. I always tip them, too - good karma, maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhizBang Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Does anyone do the Elite if over 50 and can instead go for the retirement visa?Yes, quite a lot of us. We like the convenience and hassle free way of life. Permit free travel, the cars to and from the airport, expedidated immigration services and knowing we have 5 years or whatever package you choose of not needing ever to deal with immigration. If you live in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chang Mai or Phuket, even your 90 day reports are taken care of for you should you wish them to be. Are you sure they will take care of 90 day reports outside of bangkok? Last I heard it was only for people living in Bangkok. Since they don't come and pick up your passport, you have to take it into their office personally (or have someone drop it off for you), it pretty much means you must be close enough to those offices to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhizBang Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 If they REALLY wanted to improve these Elite visas, they should find a way to completely eliminate the 90 day reports. One should only need to report IF you change your permanent address. Do that and I bet a lot more people would buy in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangkapi Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Regretting now that I paid 500K for 5 years elite option. The 20 year at 1 Million baht option includes everything except for the limo ride to and from the airport, which I could do without. I leave tips now to the AOT driver and baggage handler that amount to more than my taxi fare to the airport. I will probably inquire to see if they will allow me to pay another 500K to switch to the 1 million 20 year option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronuk Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 It seems that no matter what options TE Elite offer, some will never be happy unless it was free or less cost than visa runs. Still,those of us that have it are more than happy with the service and benefits we receive. It will only go from strength to strength and make mine and others lives a whole lot more comfortable. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronuk Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Does anyone do the Elite if over 50 and can instead go for the retirement visa?Yes, quite a lot of us. We like the convenience and hassle free way of life. Permit free travel, the cars to and from the airport, expedidated immigration services and knowing we have 5 years or whatever package you choose of not needing ever to deal with immigration. If you live in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chang Mai or Phuket, even your 90 day reports are taken care of for you should you wish them to be. Are you sure they will take care of 90 day reports outside of bangkok? Last I heard it was only for people living in Bangkok. Since they don't come and pick up your passport, you have to take it into their office personally (or have someone drop it off for you), it pretty much means you must be close enough to those offices to do it. You would think they would. They could deliver you an ice cream too? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaitero Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) With te-visa. 5 year driving licence / Yes or no? Separate b-visa needed for work/bisnes in Thailand / Yes or no? Edited August 1, 2016 by thaitero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 22 minutes ago, thaitero said: With te-visa. 5 year driving licence / Yes or no? Separate b-visa needed for work/bisnes in Thailand / Yes or no? Licence yes. To work you will need a non-b visa but still get the perks form Thai elite membership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaitero Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) O.k Thanks Ubonjoe. This new 20 year visa without golf/spa and other useless stuff sounds like choice i am going to give some thought indeed.. Edited August 1, 2016 by thaitero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I see the new format/thaivisa system isn't working too well on Tapatalk.If you buy the 20 year bronze, what happens at the 5 year point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 11 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said: I see the new format/thaivisa system isn't working too well on Tapatalk. If you buy the 20 year bronze, what happens at the 5 year point? You obtain a new PE visa that will be valid for another 5 years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) sThe last time i flew in swampy from Ho Chi Minh which was 24 June it cost me less than 300 Baht for s taxi to my residence in Bangkok on Asoke Dimdaeng Road. I aleays travel with a wheelchair, and bookt wheelchair service from the airlinres hen I make a booking. The man or woman who pudhrd the whhelchair, takes me through immigration also picks up my checked baggage. Then he or she wheels me to the money exchange desk if I need it, snd then downstairs to the taxi queue. He or she gets me a taxi ticket, and wheels me to the Taxi. I may give him or her a 100 Bant tip for thr good service. Even with the 50 Baht airport taxi surcharge, I seldom go over 300 Baht for the run from swampy to my residrnce. My wheelchair udually means I jump the queue at the taxi queue, for which i assume the person who wheeled me gives a few baht from hsi or her tip to the queue attendent Edited August 1, 2016 by IMA_FARANG typing errors corrected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotheruser Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) On 7/30/2016 at 11:04 AM, bubba1 said: In Bangkok a taxi to the city is less than 300 baht. What is your reference point using 1000 baht? I think you can send it in by registered mail as well. Quote went wrong this should have been in response to the guy saying you have to deliver it to their office by yourself. 1 hour ago, IMA_FARANG said: sThe last time i flew in swampy from Ho Chi Minh which was 24 June it cost me less than 300 Baht for s taxi to my residence in Bangkok on Asoke Dimdaeng Road. I aleays travel with a wheelchair, and bookt wheelchair service from the airlinres hen I make a booking. The man or woman who pudhrd the whhelchair, takes me through immigration also picks up my checked baggage. Then he or she wheels me to the money exchange desk if I need it, snd then downstairs to the taxi queue. He or she gets me a taxi ticket, and wheels me to the Taxi. I may give him or her a 100 Bant tip for thr good service. Even with the 50 Baht airport taxi surcharge, I seldom go over 300 Baht for the run from swampy to my residrnce. My wheelchair udually means I jump the queue at the taxi queue, for which i assume the person who wheeled me gives a few baht from hsi or her tip to the queue attendent We can't all be so lucky to be able to avoid fees in this manner. It sounds like the PE visa is just simply not for you as you would not get value out of the services. At some point in the future if it is financially more feasible a may take a sledge hammer to my legs so I can do the same. Why even post such stuff? You still don't get a BMW. Edited August 1, 2016 by anotheruser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayBird Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 BMW is nothing to brag about (maybe if it's the Z8....) I still find it funny people call it a Limo.. maybe I'm used to the 'American' definition, and expect it to be 'STRETCHED' limo... but it's not that People complain a lot about taxi cabs... I've just bought the taxi ticket from the counter, and never had problems with price, haggling, meter, tolls, or bad driving. I sometimes feel I miss out on the kamikaze driving Buy the new 1M 20 year Thailand elite visa: Not for the perks, the perks are not a deal breaker... buy it for the 20 year unlimited in/out without any hassle at a price point that is comparative to doing SETV runs comfortably. I would prefer this to an investment visa (the price point is low enough that you don't care about that investment, vs. having to invest in Thailand). I think the only real competitor to this is an METV *if* you happen to return to your country every year *AND* spend time travelling around anyways. But if that's not you and you wish to spend serious time in Thailand, you really can't beat that TE Visa offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 New topic here posted by Thailand Elite. Thailand Privilege Card is pleased to announce the release of four new membership programs This one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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